Camborne School of Mines

Masters-level courses: experiences

of working with the minerals industry

Charlie Moon

Programme Leader

MSc Mining Geology

Spring 2001Spring 2001 Spring 2003

September 2004

History of University of Exeter Cornwall Campus

ACSM 1930, BSc 1975

MSc programmes 1980 onwards

Diversification of undergraduate degrees to include Geology (1990) and Renewable Energy (2002)

Incorporated into the University of Exeter in 1993

Relocation to Cornwall Campus in 2004; major investment in analytical and laboratory equipment

Emphasis remains on applied teaching and research relevant to careers in the Earth Resources and Renewables sectors

Environment and Sustainability Institute 2012

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tory

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CSM facilities

Cornwall ‘facilities’

Academic Staff:

Minerals and Mining (6 + 6 p/t)

Geology (4 + 4 p/t)

Renewables (5)

MScs (10/11 numbers): Geotechnics (6), Mining Engineering (13), Minerals Engineering (-), Mining Geology (31), European Minerals Engineering (14)

Mining Geology: Some shared modules with other MScs not BScs

Mining Geology Fees:

2010/11 £4500 + field trip (~£1750)

2011/12 £7500 including field trip

Non EU £12250 + field trip

Currently 5 NERC scholarships divided into 10 1/2s

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Recruitment strong

High quality graduates (mainly UK/ Ireland, some EU and non-EU)

High employment rate, a few to PhDs

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students

Students: Geologists with 0 and 1-10 years experience

One Year ~ 20 contact hrs/ week (term)

Autumn Term: Ore Deposit Geology + Principles of Mining, Processing, Environmental Impact + 20% field

Spring Term: Techniques in Mining Geology + Basic Mineral Resource Assessment and either Advanced Mineral Resource Assessment or Techniques in Mineral Analysis

Easter: 2 week field trip to mines: Western Australia or Namibia/RSA

May Exams (also January)

May-September: ProjectMS

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Mining Geology 2006-2010 Project Location Countries

Discrete problem (4 months)

Keen student + sponsor

Timing: access to field area + facilities

CSM support: supervision, laboratories, software

Non- disclosure

Typical projectso Exploration: fieldwork + GIS layers +

preliminary petrography (SEM/ Microprobe)

o Production problems (grade or geometallurgy)

o Mineral resource assessment problems: Geological controls + software development (Isatis/ Datamine)

Pro

ject

Staff sponsorship (Anglo American, Rio Tinto)

Module components (Rio Tinto)

Teaching materials

Software (Wardell Armstrong, Datamine, Surpac, Vulcan)

Mine/Quarry and exploration visits (UK, Australia, Namibia, South Africa)

Student sponsors, secondments

Projects (Majors, Intermediates, Juniors, Quarries, Consultants, BGS)

Research contracts (EU, companies)

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