MASTER OF ENGINEERING IN GEOLOGY AND MINING ENGINEERING
Program Objectives
The program is aimed at providing high quality education and training to graduate students in mining and geological engineering; to provide students with experiences in problems solving skills by integrating engineering sciences into industrial and societal needs. The Master’s course in Mining and Geological Engineering focuses on construction works, exploitation of geological resources and environmental consulting, with a perspective based on ethical and respect for the environment and the principles of hygiene and safety at work. The skills acquired should enable graduates to perform geological prospecting, location, evaluation, exploration and beneficiation of geological resources, fundamental in the mining industry. The multidisciplinary study plan enables collaboration in works of civil engineering, including tunnels, dams, bridges, canals, coastal works, roads, airports and large buildings.
Career Prospects
A Master’s degree in Geology and Mining Engineering will prepare you for a career in mining and aggregate industries or for a terminal degree (PhD). As a geology and mining engineer, you will be able to work in all aspects of exploring, planning, extracting and processing minerals including construction sites companies (construction of roads, airports, tunnels, hydroelectric plants, underground tunnels, water withdrawal, dredging, landfill sites, etc.); construction companies in general, companies in the extractive industry (quarrying, mining, mineral processing workshops, transformation of ornamental stones, environmental recovery, planning and management); Companies specialized in geotechnical design, environmental requalification studies and project enterprises (engineering design, environmental studies, quality control, monitoring and supervision of construction sites), prospecting and drilling companies, civil protection services, regional coordination committees; inter-municipal associations and local authorities, institutes under the Ministry of Public Works); research organizations etc.
Program Structure
In order to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Geology and Mining Engineering, a student must earn at least 48 credits according to the following program structure:
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Core/Concentration Courses
GME 610: Ore Deposits and Exploration Geology
GME 620: Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies
GME 630: Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology
GME 640: Volcanology and Mineralization in Volcanic Terrains
GME 650: Advanced Blast Design and Technology
GME 660: Geometallurgy
GME 670: Mineral Processing Plant Design
GME 680: Mine Construction Engineering
GME 693: Geology and Mining Engineering Internship
GME 698: Thesis in Geology and Mining
Course Description
GME 610: Ore Deposits and Exploration Geology
Geological processes leading to ore genesis; geological controls & tectonic settings of ore deposits. Ore petrography. Exploration methods.
GME 620: Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies
Ore Deposit Models and exploration Strategies is an up-to-date synopsis of ore-deposit types and their characteristics. Important features which relate to their genesis and exploration will be discussed and exploration models will be presented for each style. Deposit styles covered include VHMS, Broken Hill type, Proterozoic Cu-Au, porphyry Cu-Mo-Au, orogenic gold, sediment hosted massive sulfides, epithermal Au-Ag, sedimentary Zn and Cu, and magmatic Ni.
GME 630: Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology
This course provides an up-to date review of the theory and practice of geochemistry, hydrology and geochronology as applied in mineral exploration and studies of ore deposit genesis. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the chemistry of hydrothermal systems including metal solubility, mineral stability, and the use of stable and radiogenic isotopes as tracers of hydrothermal processes. Controls on hydrothermal fluid flow and fluid chemistry that influence the types and locations of ore deposits are covered, as are the geochemistry, metallogenesis and ore-forming potential of magmatic arcs. Various methods of dating mineralizing events are evaluated. Techniques for ore deposit footprint, vectoring and fertility studies are also introduced.
GME 640: Volcanology and Mineralization in Volcanic Terrains
Covers current approaches to mapping, facies analysis and mineralization in ancient and modern volcanic sequences. The unit introduces the processes and products of different eruption styles, contrasts in scale and structure of volcanoes, identification of key volcanic facies associations, and interpretation of facies variations. The unit also covers mineralization and alteration processes related to hydrothermal systems in subaerial and submarine volcanic terrains, and implications for mineral exploration.
GME 650: Advanced Blast Design and Technology
Advanced theory and application of explosives in excavation; detailed underground blast design; specialized blasting including blast casting, construction and pre-splitting. An introduction to blasting research and examination of field applications.
GME 660: Geometallurgy
Geometallurgy involves a quantified and comprehensive approach to ore characterization in terms of critical processing attributes. These include blasting, crushing, grinding, liberation, recovery and environmental management. Key outcomes of improved geometallurgical knowledge are improved forecasting, reduced technical risk, enhanced economic optimization of mineral production, and improved sustainability. The process requires communication between mining engineers, metallurgists and geologists. The key aim of this unit is to enhance communication between these disciplines in a mining environment. The second aim is to introduce a range of techniques that will enhance the information that geologists produce in the mine environment that are relevant to mining engineers and metallurgists.
GME 670: Mineral Processing Plant Design
This course focuses on the design of mineral processing plants including the associated unit operations; flowsheet development, unit selection, sizing and number, water/mass flow balancing.
GME 680: Mine Construction Engineering
Development of underground capital openings (shafts, chambers, tunnels, and drifts) in mines. Design and
construction under normal conditions. Organization and management of construction operations.
GME 693: Geology and Mining Engineering Internship
Students must spend at least 3 months (20 hours per week for 12 weeks) of Field work to engineering companies will be carried out to expose students to practice all/some of the civil and Architectural engineering skills learned.
GME 698: Thesis in Geology and Mining Engineering
You must complete a satisfactory thesis to be awarded a Master’s degree. This piece of work, undertaken in the last semester gives you the opportunity to apply the techniques and theories you have learned during the taught modules. Thesis topics reflect the expertise of your lecturers and you may be asked to choose from a list of options. Supervision often starts with small groups of students studying similar topics meeting with their supervisors, who then guide students in deciding on the focus for their individual dissertations. The thesis itself normally consists of a literature review followed by a piece of empirical work, involving either qualitative or quantitative research.
