Mining and Minerals Engineering - 2021 entry

This module introduces you to the topic of Mining and Minerals Engineering. Towards the end of the term, you will have the opportunity to deliver a five minute presentation to an audience of peers about a specific mining or minerals topic, which has been chosen from a pre-defined list of topics.

No prior knowledge of the subject is required. This module is unsuitable for non-specialist students and is not recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

This module will give you an overview of the minerals industry, starting with an historical perspective and leading up to the current day implications of financial, political and environmental constraints. It will also introduce you to mining and minerals engineering, giving you a broad outline of the unit processes involved in the two disciplines. Furthermore, you will learn about the environmental aspects of the minerals industry and sustainability.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 demonstrate a general understanding of the mining and minerals industry;

2 visualise the underground environment;

3 understand mineral reserves and resources;

4 recognise the fundamental aspects of mineral processing techniques;

5 comprehend the influence of explosives and their usage;

6 appreciate the environmental impact of mining and have an awareness of the sustainability of natural resources;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

7 evaluate and apply knowledge of a range of different concepts relating to mining engineering related material;

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:

8 work effectively with others as a member of a group and meet obligations to others;

9 identify strengths and weaknesses in personal study skills and make a plan to address weaknesses using the learning resources available (ELE, ASK and personal tutor);

10 verbally communicate a researched topic using a Powerpoint presentation.

- Introduction: brief introduction to the history of mining and impact on civilisation;

- Earth resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals and fossil fuels, their occurrence, location, distribution and usage;

- Implications of financial/political constraints;

- Environmental impact of the extractive industries, concepts of sustainability, biodiversity, remediation and reclamation;

- Mining methods: the role of the mining engineer;

- Definitions of basic mining terms;

- Review of types of ore deposit and exploration techniques;

- The mining process-breaking ground, shaft sinking and tunnelling, stoping support, haulage and hoisting;

- Mineral processing and hydrometallurgy;

- The role of the minerals engineer within the mineral industry;

- Importance of mineralogy and liberation;

- Ore preparation methods, crushing & grinding, screening and classification;

- Physical separation methods, including automated sorting, dense medium separation, gravity separation, magnetic separation, electrostatic separation and froth flotation;

- Hydrometallurgy for the recovery of metals, leaching methods, bacteria assisted leaching, fundamentals of electrolysis applied to metal recovery case studies on kaolin, diamonds, gold and copper;

- Introduction to explosives, properties of explosives, types of detonation, safety issues relating to blasting within the minerals industry.

As above, one piece of Coursework (30%) and/or one Exam (70%).

Basic reading:

Hartman, Howard L., 1992, SME Mining Engineers Handbook, SMME Inc., Colorado

Wills, B.A. and Napier-Munn, T.J., 2006, Mineral Processing Technology (6th edition), Butterworth-Heinemann

Web based and electronic resources:

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Powerpoint presentations available on ELE.

Other resources:

The Academic Support Unit have information on development of personal skills.

Reading list for this module: