| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years part time (blended learning) |
| Entry year | 2021 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | Mining Engineering |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | Relevant degree or technical experience |
|---|---|
Overview
- You’ll be equipped with the business knowledge of the entire mining pipeline and the technical knowledge to support career progression in the area of mining operations
- Taught by the internationally established Camborne School of Mines (CSM), a combined mining school and geoscience department
- Designed for experienced mining industry staff, you will be immersed in the mining value chain followed by more detailed study of Mining Engineering
- Delivered by mining experts and aligned with industry needs, you’ll learn part-time while you work, and benefit from industry wide professional networks and exposure to diverse international mining practices
- Taught via diverse course delivery methods and assessment types so you’ll graduate as a well-rounded mining professionals with broad industry knowledge.
8th in the world for Mining and Minerals Engineering
QS University World Rankings 2021
Leading research facilities include £2 million analytical mineralogy labs and an automated QEMSCAN scanning electron microscope; the first in any university worldwide
3rd for Materials and Mineral Engineering
The Guardian University League Table 2020
Comprehensive courses with content relating to many varied roles within industry, including design, mechanics, logistics, geotechnics, project management and surveying
Accreditations
Accredited under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council.
Accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).
Entry requirements
Open to all mining professionals with a relevant degree or with relevant technical experience. Please contact us before making an online application if you do not hold a degree so we can advise on the additional information required.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
- IELTS
- TOEFL
- Pearson
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Course content
This is a blended learning course that combines online study with residential teaching.
Residentials
There are three residential courses in Years 1 and 2, respectively, typically 7-10 working days in duration. The first residential is normally held in Cornwall while the second and third are held in international mining locations (in the past we have visited Alaska, Canada, Australia, Chile, South Africa). Residential dates are available at the start of the course and residential courses typically take place in March, July and November. There are two residential courses in Year 3 and both are held in Cornwall.
Residential attendance is a compulsory component of the programme.
For 2021 the provisional residential dates and locations are as follows:
- Residential 1 will normally be held in Cornwall in March (8-19 March 2021 are the provisional dates)
- Residential 2 will normally be held in Australia or Canada in July (12-23 July 2021 are the provisional dates)
- Residential 3 will normally be held in South Africa or Chile in November (8-19 November 2020 are the provisional dates)
The above dates and locations are provisional and will be confirmed nearer the time.
Course structure
Year one provides a robust understanding of the complete mining life cycle, from exploration and development to extraction and processing methods to waste management and mine closure. Year one of the course is also an excellent programme for new entrants into the mining business as a fast-track career induction.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
| Year 1 - Mining Life Cycle Postgraduate Certificate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Module 1 - Discovery |
Module 2 - Design (15 credits) |
Module 3 - Recovery (15 credits) |
Module 4 - Impacts (15 credits) |
|
Unit 1: Introduction to the Mining Value Chain Unit 2: Introduction to Geology, Rock Properties and Ore Forming Processes Unit 3: Mineral Exploration Unit 4: The Mining Business Unit 5: Mineral Economics |
Unit 1: Deposit Evaluation and Resource Estimation Unit 2: Introduction to Mining Methods and Mine Method Selection Unit 3: Mine Planning Unit 4: Mine Construction and Pre-production Decision Making |
Unit 1: Principles of Surface Mining Operations Unit 2: Principles of Underground Mining Operations Unit 3: Mineral Processing Unit 4: Mine Waste Management Unit 5: Mineral Products |
Unit 1: Environmental and Social Impacts of Mining Unit 2: Economic Impacts of Mining (downstream and side stream investment) Unit 3: Mine Closure and Remediation Unit 4: Corporate and Social Responsibility and the License to Operate |
| Year 2 - Mining Engineering Postgraduate Diploma | |
|---|---|
|
Module 5- Surface Mining (30 credits) |
Module 6- Underground Mining (30 credits) |
|
Unit 1: Ground Control – Geomechanics of soil & rock including Slope Stability Unit 2: Surface Excavation Design, including hydrogeology and dewatering Unit 3: Development Planning – infrastructure and services design Unit 4: Production & Costs - equipment selection, operational management, finance, maintenance, and automation Unit 5: Rock-breaking, Fragmentation and Blast Design Unit 6: Mine Wastes – Rock tips, tailings dams, mine water and waste management, Unit 7: Computer-assisted mine design, optimisation and scheduling Unit 8: Safety Management; Accident Causation, Risk Management, Safety Culture & Maturity |
Unit 1: Underground Mine Design: Development & Access, Shaft Sinking, Ventilation and the Mine Atmosphere Unit 2: Mining Methods: Supported, Unsupported, Backfill and Caving Unit 3: Tunneling: Soft Rock and Hard Rock methods Unit 4: Rock Mechanics - Roof Behavior, Pillar & Hanging wall Design, Empirical/Computer Modelling techniques. Unit 5: Production: Drilling, Blasting Theory, Explosives and Systems, Loading and Haulage Unit 6: Safety Management: Underground Risk Management. |
| Year 3 - Mining Engineering MSc | |
|---|---|
|
Module 7 Business Skills (20 credits) |
Module 8 Business Impact Research Project (40 credits) |
|
Unit 1: Project Planning - principles and methodology Unit 2: Project Management techniques Unit 3: Mine Management and Business Decision Making Unit 4: Continuous Business improvement – value, waste and quality approaches. Unit 5: The Future of Mining |
Industry Research Project - based on contemporary technical issues, business improvement projects, investment proposals and risk assessments.
|
Fees
2021/22 entry
UK fees per year:
£8,700 per year
International fees per year:
£8,700 per year
Scholarships
We invest heavily in scholarships for talented prospective Masters students. For information on how you can fund your postgraduate degree at the University of Exeter, please visit our dedicated funding page.
Teaching and research
Blended learning
The programme is taught by blended learning; online learning resources combined with teaching residentials, laboratory sessions, site visits and a mine tour. You are provided with comprehensive course materials online and supported by university staff who will use a range of online activities to support your learning, and give individual support and feedback on your progress.
Assessments
All modules are assessed by diverse assignments aligned with industry needs and expectations such as management style reports, project group activities and including group and individual presentations. Some assessments will be undertaken at residentials including more formal assessment types. The students will have access to learning support staff who will be available to help, assist and guide them through the material and during residentials.
The course will involve mine study tours in Year 1 and 3 to major mining areas to provide exposure to world class mining operations, as well as other residential visits as appropriate.
A research and practice-led culture
You will discuss the very latest ideas, research discoveries and new technologies in seminars and in the field and you will become actively involved in a research project yourself. All our academic staff are active in internationally-recognised scientific research across a wide range of topics. You will also be taught by leading industry practitioners.
Careers
To develop international mining talent mines need talented individuals to make the right decisions in a dynamic, safety-critical, and technologically advanced working environment.
Our curriculum and teaching methods are aligned to modern mining industry issues and we enjoy close relationships with local, national and international minerals businesses.
The course has been designed to meet the needs of industry staff, mining companies, regulators and professional associations. The teaching approach, technical content and assessments reflect the professional and industry context of the course participants.
The Course Team have extensive experience of developing blended learning and residential courses for international mining, mining equipment and construction materials companies.
Our practical approach engages academics and students with consultancies, multinational miners, and junior explorers to promote advances in geological exploration and sustainable mining.
Bespoke talent development
The CSM Professional can also be delivered as a tailor-made company or sector specific course and can be focused to address particular company issues and objectives. It can also be integrated into a company's training and talent development process. For more information please contact the Course Director, Professor Kip Jeffrey - C.Jeffrey@exeter.ac.uk.
A vehicle for Continuing Professional Development
Elements of the course will also be available in the future as stand-alone CPD activities.
