Michigan Technological University

Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Mining Engineering—BS

Mining Engineering BS Banner

Mining brings the hidden natural earth minerals to surface for societal and industrial needs and is a significant contributor to the economy of a country.  Mining engineers design, plan, and supervise surface and underground mines to unearth the minerals economically and safely for further processing and human utilization.  Modern mining engineering is multi-disciplinary and requires sound fundamental technical and scientific knowledge.

An ABET accredited Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) Degree with a Technical Emphasis is Mining Engineering offers a multidisciplinary degree to prepare you to take up the challenges of modern mining practice and position yourself for a leadership role in the mining industry. Under the BSE program there is a model schedule that most students will follow, while still allowing you the opportunity to create your own educational path for a suitable area of interest in mining engineering.  Most students will, in the process, also complete a Minor in Mining.

This multidisciplinary program is managed through Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences department and students are advised through the Engineering Fundamentals offices for the accredited BSE degree.

Learn more about the BSE program…


2013 Mining Trophy

The Business of Mining: How Michigan Tech Won an International Competition

Michigan Tech's recent win in the National Mining Competition in Saskatchewan surprised more than a few of the Canadian schools who made up the competitors, and the judges.


Career Advising

Contact the following for a career advising in Mining Engineering.

Dr Wayne Pennington

Interim Dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Technological University
office: 906 487-2005
wayne@mtu.edu

Murray Gillis

Instructor 
Director of Mine Safety and Health Training Program
206 M&M Building
906-487-1820 
906-487-2934 Fax 
jmgillis@mtu.edu

Muhammad Azeem Raza

Instructor
606-DOW
906-487-2412
maraza@mtu.edu

MINING ENGINEERING

Mining engineers design, plan, and supervise surface and underground mines to unearth the minerals economically and safely for further processing and human utilization. Mining engineers design layouts for surface and underground mines, prepare short and long range mine plans, schedule equipment, design blast patterns for rock fragmentation and excavation, design ventilation plans for underground mines, monitor safety of personals and equipment, optimize processes. Mining utilizes world’s largest trucks and excavation equipment and mining engineers design mine layouts to use these equipment effectively.

Mission

The mission of the Mining Engineering degree program is to continue to improve and maintain quality undergraduate and graduate programs supported by an up-to-date curriculum and innovative research, and to produce technically competent mining engineers who possess team skills and are cognizant of the changing needs of an environmentally sensitive society.

Objectives

The educational objectives of the BSE with Technical Emphasis in Mining Engineering require that graduates meet a large number of criteria including the following:

    • Prepare engineers with a strong fundamental scientific and technical knowledge base, and critical thinking skills, which will serve as the foundation for life-long learning;
    • The ability to apply science and engineering skills to the analysis and design of engineering projects;
    • The ability to effectively communicate technical/professional information in written, oral, visual, and graphical formats; and
    • An awareness and understanding of professional obligations to protect human health, human welfare, and the environment.

About the Program

  • Our state-of-the-art facilities allow students to experiment with advanced geologic technology. The department maintains labs dedicated to the study of remote sensing and volcanology, geographic information systems (GIS), subsurface remediation and visualization, and seismic petrophysics, among other areas.
  • Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula offers beautiful outdoor facilities. The area surrounding campus is ideal for a wide variety of geologic studies. You don’t have to drive far to find miles of rocky Lake Superior shoreline and acres of forestland.
  • Our curriculum focuses intensely on field studies; we teach two field courses in the summer but also provide plenty of opportunities for students to see classic and novel field sites in Michigan and beyond. Students have traveled to sites in Alaska, Canada, Florida, Guatemala, Mexico, Montana, Newfoundland, Nicaragua, and Utah.
  • Undergraduate research opportunities are plentiful. Our faculty conduct research abroad, and students often accompany them on field trips. You might study volcanoes in South America, Precambrian rocks in Australia (or right here in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula), or the Bering Glacier’s melt rate in Alaska.
  • Our well-rounded curriculum emphasizes the study of geophysics and social geology, or methods for mitigating natural hazards through effective communication and community involvement.
  • Faculty and staff focus on giving students the personal attention and support necessary for not only academic success, but also a positive undergraduate experience overall. Learn from faculty who understand responsible utilization of our Earth.
  • Opportunities for intercultural exchange abound at Michigan Tech. The Study Abroad Program sends students to countries around the world for stints ranging from two weeks to one year. D80 allows students to apply their studies to the problems facing economically disadvantaged communities.

What career pathways are a good fit for our graduates?

Discover a world of opportunity. A bachelor’s degree in geological engineering will prepare you for a career in industry or graduate study. Generally, geologists employed in industry spend part of their working time outdoors enjoying nature and, if desired, traveling the world. Students interested in certain sectors of industry, such as oil exploration, or a career in academia should explore graduate education options. An advanced degree provides greater specialization.

Our graduates have found work in the following areas:

  • Groundwater and surface water monitoring and cleaning
  • Natural-hazards mitigation
  • Satellite remote sensing of environmental processes
  • GIS mapping of environmental data
  • Site investigations of underground hazards
  • Slope failure investigations
  • Oil or gas exploration and recovery
  • Subsurface visualization
  • Natural and Induced Seismicity Evaluation
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.

Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

630 Dow Environmental Sciences
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931

Ph. 906-487-2531
Fax: 906-487-3371
Email: geo@mtu.edu

Michigan Technological University

1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295
906-487-1885

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