MINING ENGINEERING
Rick Honaker
Chair and Professor
Department of Mining Engineering
230 Mining & Mineral Resources Bldg
Phone: 257-8026; e-mail:
rhonaker@engr.uky.edu
OPPORTUNITIES

Demand far exceeds
supply for entry-level
Mining Engineers

Many are unfamiliar
with the mining
industry and its career
opportunities

Scholarship
opportunities
Graduate Mining Engineering Trend





The upsurge in mining
engineering graduates in
the late 1970’s was due to
the energy crisis.
Downward turn was a
correction in the supply vs.
demand relationship and
low coal and mineral
prices.
Recent market conditions
and future projections
indicate an increase in
mineral and coal demand.
Currently graduating about
140 per year in the U.S..
Study found that 300 new
graduates per year will be
needed over the next 10
years.
Mining Engineer Graduate Demand
(5% Growth Scenario)


52% of the mining engineers in the U.S. are over 50 years of age.
Based on a retirement age of 65, approximately 300 new mining
engineering graduates will be needed over the next 10 years to
meet the demand.
Career & Salary Growth Potential
‘Show me the money!’

Due to the retirement rate
and the growth in the
minerals industry, career
growth is accelerated.



Potential to achieve upper
level management position
in less than 10 years.
Salaries are 2005 data.
Current 2007 starting
salaries are in the
$55,000 - $60,000 range.
NATIONAL ENGINEER’S WORKFORCE
STATISTICS
Software
Manu.
Ar.
Civil
Chemical
Nuclear
Mining
Median
annual
income ($)
Petroleum
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Academic Faculty Opportunities




13 Mining
Engineering
programs in the
U.S..
69 tenured or
tenure track faculty.
24% will retire in
the next five years.
Near half will retire
in the next 10
years.
Undergraduate Mining Engineering
Scholarships (> 69 credits complete)
Math, Chem.
Amount per
& Physics
Semester
GPA
Level
GPA
I
3.60 – 4.00
3.20 – 4.00
$3800
II
3.30 – 3.59
3.00 – 3.19
$3400
III
3.00 – 3.29
2.50 – 2.99
$3000
IV
2.70 – 2.99
2.25 – 2.49
$2300
V
2.50 – 2.69
2.25 – 2.49
$1400
UK Undergraduate Enrollment
UK Undergraduate Mining
Engineering Enrollment
120
101
100
88
80
67
60
51
52
2003
2004
40
20
0
2005
Year
2006
2007
IMPORTANCE OF
MINING INDUSTRY-Just about
everything!


All other industries depend on
mining and agriculture
Nearly all energy sources are
obtained via mining
Can you name something
you are wearing or
something that you have
used today that came from
the mining industry?
About 40,000 pounds of new mineral
materials are now required annually for each
U.S. Citizen
MATERIAL
Stone
Sand & Gravel
Cement
Clays
Salt
Other nonmetals
Iron & steel
Aluminum
LBS
8,260
7,110
690
470
420
1,470
1,190
55
MATERIAL
Copper
Lead
Zinc
Other metals
Petroleum
Coal
Gas
Uranium
LBS
32
15
12
32
8,100
5,590
4,205
0.1
Coal Growth in Electric Generation
New Coal-Based Power
Generation Units
Promising Global Coal Outlook
WHAT DOES A MINING
ENGINEER DO?

Responsible for the safe, economical, and environmentally
sound operation of mines.

Find, extract, and prepare coal, metals, and minerals for use
by manufacturing industries and utilities.

Design open pit and underground mines, supervise the
construction of mine shafts and tunnels in underground
operations, and devise methods for transporting minerals to
processing plants.

Some develop new mining equipment or direct mineral
processing operations to separate minerals from the dirt, rock,
and other materials with which they are mixed.
VARIOUS SPECIALTY AREAS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ground control and excavation design
Ventilation systems design
Mineral processing
Geological modeling and reserve analysis
Power system design
Material handling system design
Economic feasibility
Operations and corporate management
Others
GEOLOGICAL ENGINEER
TYPICAL JOB TASKS
1. Direct drilling programs &
apply geological
interpretations.
2. Make computerized maps.
3. Applying geological
knowledge to directing
mining, processing and
research groups.
4. Work environment variety:
hiking surface, climbing
underground, corporate
office presentation.
MINING ENGINEER
TYPICAL JOB TASKS
1. Determine of best mining
practice.
2. Minimize ground disturbance.
3. Survey operations to
determine production levels.
4. Design explosive and blasting
operations.
5. Develop optimum materials
handling systems.
6. Evaluate operational
efficiency.
7. Develop ventilation & safety
engineering strategies.
Longwall Mining

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
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Underground mining
method used in flat lying
deposits and mostly in coal.
Mines the coal in large
blocks of approximately
10000 feet by 1000 feet.
Shields (shown in picture)
run across the 1000 foot
face and support the roof
while a shearer removes
the coal from the face.
As the shields move
forward, roof caves in
behind.
Room-and-Pillar Mining



Application in
flat lying
deposits.
Coal,
aggregates and
minerals
extracted using
this technique.
Extraction
achieved by
either:
1. Drilling &
Blasting or
2. Continuous
Miner.
Continuous miner
cutting and loading
coal
Roof bolter installing
roof bolts for roof
support
Shuttle car
being
loaded
Shuttle car
discharging
load
Conveyor
belt
Feeder/breaker
Sublevel Caving




Underground mining
technique for fairly
steep deposits
(>60o).
Weak to strong ore
and rock.
Typically used for
sulfide ores or
precious metals.
Mining is performed
downwards from the
top of the ore body.
Mineral Processing Engineer
TYPICAL JOB TASKS
1. Design the processes &
flow sheet needed to
produce a valuable material.
2. Develop & direct the
processes that separate
minerals from other
minerals.
3. Optimize processing
operations to ensure
maximum profitability.
4. Produce a product that can
be transported.
5. Apply processing to reduce
environmental impacts.
In-Situ
Rock Breakage
100 tons/hr
Run-of-Mine
Copper Ore
(0.50%)
Primary
Crusher
Typical Mineral
Processing Flow
Sheet
Secondary
Crushing
Classification
Grinding
Classification
Solid-Solid
Separation
Solid-Liquid
Separation
Tailings
(0.14% Cu)
98.5 tons/hr
Solid-Liquid
Separation
Copper
Concentrate
(25% Cu)
1.5 tons/hr
Coal Preparation Flow Sheet
Small
Coarse
Size-Size
Raw
Screens
Deslime
Screens
Solid-Solid
Heavy
Media
Vessel
Heavy
Media
Cyclone
Ultrafine
Fine
Coal Spirals
Classifying
Cyclones
Solid-Liquid
Dewatering
Screens
Basket
Centrifuge
Screen-Bowl
Centrifuges
Disc Filter
Froth
Flotation
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER
TYPICAL JOB TASKS
1. Ensures that the company is
aware of all laws.
2. Designs environmental
systems to protect against
mishaps that could endanger
people and surroundings.
3. Monitors air and groundwater.
4. Develops permits for additional
mining and reclamation areas.
5. Directs the reclamation
program.
6. Works with public to address
environmental issues of
mining.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
• Mining has always been among the top
paying fields in engineering
• Fast career track relative to other fields in
engineering
• “Boeing assigns 100 engineers to design a
$100,000,000 jet. AMAX assigns 3 mining
engineers in their 20’s to design a
$100,000,000 coal mine.”
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES (CONT.)
• Fast track from mining engineering
to executive positions.
• Rural and international living
opportunities. Crushed stone mined
everywhere.
• Overall employment in the industry
will decline, but not technical
employment.
OUR DEPARTMENT
• Approximately 105 undergraduates,
18 graduates, 3 post-docs, 8 faculty
• 25,259 square feet of space and $1.6
million equipment for teaching.
• 60,000 square feet research facility
and $7 million advanced research
equipment.
• Low student to faculty ratio…We get
to know you all.
OUR DEPARTMENT (CONT.)
• Traditional curriculum with opportunities
to specialize in mineral processing,
power systems, ventilation, geostatistics,
system engineering, and other areas.
• Summer and co-op employment
opportunities are plentiful. Nearly all of
our graduates leave with considerable
work experience.
• Student Chapter of SME ranked among
top 2 nationally for each of the last 5
years.