If you like the great outdoors and want to be at the forefront of some of the greatest advancements in modern society, check out our majors! Graduate with a skill set that is in high demand and job offers with salaries around $100k per year.* The Mackay School’s Mining Engineering program is one of only 13 programs in the country. Established in 1886 by John Mackay, one of the developers of the Comstock Lode silver deposit in Virginia City, NV, the department is pertinent to the extensive mining history of Nevada.
*2021 median salary range information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mining and Metallurgical Engineering B.S. degrees and minors
B.S. in Mining Engineering (General)
The Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering general emphasis option is patterned on the traditional broad-based mining engineering program that prepares students for a wide variety of areas in the mining industry, from mine design to operations to closure.
B.S. in Mining Engineering (Intelligent Mining Systems)
Mining engineering is perhaps the broadest of engineering disciplines, and our graduates are versatile problem solvers. The goals of the program are to train students so that graduates are qualified to perform the various functions typically exercised by mining engineers: plan, design, operate and close mines. Take courses in mine design and mining methods, as well as foundational engineering topics like thermodynamics, electrical circuits and hydraulics.
B.S. in Mining Engineering (Process Metallurgy)
As with all of our mining engineering undergraduate programs, the goal is to train students to be qualified to perform the various functions typically exercised by mining engineers: planning, designing, operating and closing mines. The process metallurgy emphasis allows students to narrow in on all aspects of metallurgy, from process design to process control and more.
B.S. in Mining Engineering (Quarry Engineering)
Mining engineers are the lifeline of the mining industry. Mine engineers are involved in everything from designing layouts for both surface and underground mines, preparation of short- and long-range mine plans, production sequences, designing ventilation plans for underground mines, process optimization and more. The quarry engineering emphasis seeks to introduce students to the analytical process of mine operations, preparing students for the mining industry.
B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering
The Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering degree trains students in three areas: mineral processing, extractive and physical metallurgy. Delve into a field that configures alloys to power our bodies and our world, transforming metals into new materials used in a variety of products from superconductors to materials for space exploration and more.
Minor in Mining Engineering
The mining engineering minor includes courses in mine design, mining technology, computer applications to operations control and management, environmental concerns, industrial safety and health and mineral economics. The curriculum provides students with a broad background for a career as a modern mining engineer.
Minor in Metallurgical Engineering
The metallurgical engineering minor is open to all students in an ABET-accredited engineering major except Metallurgical Engineering. Courses may be used to satisfy the major and minor requirements simultaneously. Learn about mineral processing, mine economics, material science and more.