The Department of Mining Engineering at University of Nevada, Reno offers a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degree and a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering.
The undergraduate program includes courses in mine design, mining technology, mineral processing, computer applications for operations control and management, environmental concerns, industrial safety and health, and mineral economics. The curriculum is arranged to provide students with a broad background for a career as a modern mining engineer providing high tech solutions to the problems of supplying society with the raw materials required in the 21st Century in an environmentally responsible manner. Graduates are prepared for industrial employment or further advanced study.
Because of the relatively small number of students in the program, mining engineering classes are small, which enables students to receive personal attention from the professor teaching the course. It also creates a friendly department where everyone is known and students get a sense of belonging. Organizations such as the John Mackay Club, the student chapter of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, as well as the student chapter for the National Sand, Stone and Gravel Association, create a high degree of camaraderie among students at all levels through extracurricular activities which include field trips, trips to national conventions, student design competitions and the annual International Collegiate Mining Competition. Participation in these professional activities gives students opportunities to meet and network with peers and industry professionals from around the world.
The department maintains a close liaison with the mineral industry. Field trips for students are arranged during the academic year and an extensive summer field trip to mining operations outside of the state is required for graduation. Further, students are required to work in the minerals industry during at least one summer vacation and most students spend more than one summer working at mines or in engineering offices. Faculty in the department take an active role in finding these summer job opportunities for our students.
For information on all the programs, including the graduate programs, please go to the Degree Programs link on the menu above.
The Educational Objectives of the Mining Engineering Program are:
Mining engineers primarily work in the mining industry, planning, designing and operating surface and underground mining operations. These mines, which are located in all 50 states and every country of the world except Antarctica, produce the minerals needed to help clothe, feed, and house the world's population. These minerals vary from sand and gravel, pumice, gypsum, and coal, to copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, iron, and more exotic minerals such as gold, silver, diamonds and rubies. Since mining engineers have a broad training, there are many other career opportunities open to them in the construction and tunneling industry, banking and finance industry, engineering consulting companies, equipment manufacturers, and federal and state agencies, to name a few. Many mining engineers, when they first graduate, go to work in an operating mine. The work can vary from supervising a small group of people who operate large and complex equipment, to developing a computer model of a mine and using it to plan the daily operation. A recent career example is Cindy Moore who graduated in 1997. She was the first woman to win the National Senior Design Project which awarded her $1000. She has this to say: "I enrolled in mining engineering at the Mackay School of Mines. It was probably the wisest decision I have made. Following graduation I became a mining engineer at Mine Development Associates in Reno, responsible for providing engineering services for a variety of clients. I specialized in mineral resource estimation and mine planning and design using Surpac, a sophisticated computer software package. Currently, I am a grade control engineer at the Rosebud mine near Winnemucca. It is a small underground mine and I have been given a variety of responsibilities. Mining is a very fast-paced, exciting career. I feel it is an excellent career choice for both men and women. There are very few women in this industry, but I believe if a woman has the determination to succeed, she can progress to the upper levels in the industry." |
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