Mining Engineering University of Pretoria

Overview

As a profession, mining engineering encompasses a broad spectrum of engineering work—from mine evaluation to industrial control. For instance, mining engineers may undertake the assessment of a new mining project as soon as the geological confirmation of a newly discovered mineral deposit has been completed. If such a mineral deposit is found to be viable, mining engineers will design the mine to exploit the mineral deposit. The Mining Engineering program is offered by University of Pretoria.

Where the mineral deposit is close to the surface, an opencast mine is preferred, but for deeper deposits, an underground mine will be planned. Mining engineers will coordinate the construction of such a mine and bring it to the stage where it starts producing. A typical mine has a lifespan of 15 to perhaps 100 years. The design of the mining excavations, with their equipment and services, the planning of all the activities and the management of the operation at all levels is the responsibility of the mining engineer. 

Career Opportunities

Mining engineers have a wide range of opportunities, namely mining (mine management, technical management of ventilation, rock mechanics, rock breaking, mineral resources), financial evaluation and management (mine design, financial evaluation of mines, mine feasibility studies, mine environmental impact studies), mining and drilling contracting (mining, tunnelling, shaft sinking, mine development, ore evaluation), mining research, mining equipment design and manufacture, mining marketing and mining administration at national, provincial and international levels.

In addition to operational management, mining engineers are often involved in the planning and execution of research and development work. In order to maintain the proud position of the South African mining industry as a world leader, it is necessary to accept the challenges of technological development through extensive research and development programmes. Mining engineers fulfil the role of expert consulting engineers in various mining groups, as well as in private practice. Universities, government departments and financial institutions also employ mining engineers. The mining industry is one of the largest industries in the country and certainly one of the most important. It supplies raw materials and energy minerals to a large variety of domestic industries, while precious metals, non-precious minerals, energy minerals and diamonds are exported to earn foreign exchange. More than 70 different minerals are currently produced in South Africa and contribute directly to the gross domestic product. The mining industry provides job opportunities to more than 400 000 people. Among these, there are obviously many employment opportunities for professionals.