| The mining industry has its fair share of challenges. | | | | programs prepare students for a global job market. |
| Never mind the longstanding boom-and-bust cycles | | | | One of the basic goals of the University of Utah's |
| that often threaten to put companies out of business | | | | Department of Mining Engineering is to provide useful |
| or the long-term price slump in key mineral markets. | | | | knowledge for the region's mineral mining industry. But |
| Society's changing values and its rush to embrace all | | | | that goes hand-in-hand with the school's mission to |
| things green have led to anti-mining sentiment. As a | | | | educate graduates to work in any area of the mining |
| result, there are fewer leases being granted on public | | | | industry. |
| lands, more and more regulatory red tape to contend | | | | RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES |
| with and costly delays in the permitting process. | | | | Many schools have extensive research programs |
| And now, it looks like the industry may be headed for | | | | which are either government funded or sponsored in |
| a talent drought. According to the U.S. Dept. Of Labor's | | | | part by local mining businesses. At UWV, students |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 717,000 workers | | | | work in state-of-the-art research facilities like the Coal |
| were employed in all sectors of the mining industry | | | | and Rock Cutter Laboratory and the Coal Prep and |
| from extraction to management. Professional | | | | Crushing Lab studying a range of special issues within |
| engineers, geologists and geoscientists claimed 64,900 | | | | mining engineering. |
| of the total number of jobs, but roughly nine percent of | | | | The Colorado School of Mines hopes to attract its |
| those professionals are expected to retire over the | | | | share of new students with the more than $51 million it |
| next decade. | | | | picked up in research funding last year including 83 |
| "Companies waited too long, waiting 20 years | | | | grants from the U.S. Dept of energy and 230 awards |
| between hiring a new workforce," says Dr. Larry | | | | for research from local industry. The school also runs |
| Grayson, chairman and professor of mining engineering | | | | the Edgar Experimental Mine, a former high-grade |
| at the University of Missouri-Rolla, home to one of the | | | | silver, gold, lead and copper mine that is now an |
| country's top-rated degree programs in mining | | | | underground laboratory for future engineers training to |
| engineering. | | | | find, develop and process the world's natural |
| At one time, the University of Missouri had plenty of | | | | resources. |
| competition from other schools and programs. | | | | Nevada is one of the richest areas for silver and gold |
| However, today there are far fewer options for | | | | deposits in the world and research conducted at the |
| students hoping to earn a degree in mining engineering. | | | | University of Nevada's Mackay School of Mining |
| Grayson says that while this is a problem for mining | | | | reflects that heritage. But in addition to studying |
| companies facing a shortage of qualified workers, it's | | | | practices in the surface gold mining industry, students |
| an opportunity for mining engineering graduates to find | | | | can become involved in more broad-based research |
| good jobs and move quickly up the ladder. | | | | such as diesel emissions exposure in underground |
| HARDROCK AND COAL | | | | mines. |
| Job openings for mining engineers and other mining | | | | Although research opportunities reflect regional |
| professional aren't limited to the U.S. Mining industry. For | | | | interests, the common denominator among the |
| those who are willing to travel there are opportunities | | | | programs is the emphasis on sustainability and |
| all around the world and graduates from American | | | | fostering an understanding of responsible stewardship |
| colleges and degree programs are generally well | | | | within the industry. |
| prepared for the international mining industry's | | | | TOP PROGRAMS |
| challenges. According to Syd Peng, chairman of the | | | | Because mining engineering is a broad field, finding the |
| mining department at the University of West Virginia, | | | | best program will depend on each student's individual |
| U.S. mining programs generally fall into two categories: | | | | goals. However, several college and university guides, |
| hardrock and coal. | | | | including PhDs.org, created by math professor Geoff |
| "The programs located east of the Mississippi River | | | | Davis with some help Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, have |
| emphasize coal or industrial minerals, whereas | | | | looked at the academic quality, cost and job placement |
| programs in the west emphasize hardrock mining for | | | | statistics of mining engineering programs. Overall, the |
| metals and precious minerals," says Peng. "This is | | | | University of Missouri, Virginia Polytech, the University |
| because the state-supported mining engineering | | | | of Kentucky and Penn State come out on top. |
| programs are designed to serve a regional interest." | | | | US Mining Schools |
| Still, despite the local orientation, U.S. Mining engineering | | | | U.S. |