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Course 07

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10 views

Course 07

Uploaded by

Lawrence Mundene-timothee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Mining Engineering

1. Definitions:

Mineral Engineering

Mineral engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the application of scientific
and technical knowledge to the exploration of useful minerals and their production from
surface, underground, or underwater deposits.

Mining Engineering:

Mining engineering, an essential part of mineral engineering, focuses on public works such as
tunnels, subways, power plants, and shelters, and is therefore connected to civil engineering
and mechanical engineering.

2. Phases of a Mining Project:

A mining project is an investment project in the discovery and exploration of deposits to


produce one or more marketable products, often referred to as commercial products, which can
be one or more minerals, concentrates, or one or more more or less pure metals depending on
the case.

The main phases of the mining project include:

 Regional exploration campaigns

 Exploration of targets and initial resource calculations ("Maiden resources report" or


"Technical report")

 Conceptual economic study or Preliminary Economic Assessment ("Concept study" or


"Scoping Study" or "Preliminary Economic Assessment")

 Pre-feasibility study ("Prefeasability report")

 Feasibility study ("Feasability report")

 Detailed project engineering, financing arrangement for production, and production


preparation

 Production
 Closure of the operation and post-mining activities

3. Mining Industry and Mining Sectors:

Mining Industry:

The mining industry is the economic sector that includes prospecting and mining activities.

It involves the extraction of minerals, rare earths, and metals such as copper, iron, or gold. Its
activities are regulated in most countries by a Mining Code.

It is an important source of income (direct and indirect) and can lead to water, air, soil, and
ecosystem pollution due to metal mining. The industry exploits non-renewable fossil resources
within human time scales, requiring significant amounts of energy and sometimes water. It
leaves mining legacies that legislation increasingly demands to reduce, treat, and compensate
for as mining progresses or as part of "post-mining" activities.

It is the source of production for numerous capital and consumer goods, and companies
controlling this activity play a significant role in the economy of the world.

Mining Sectors:

Mining engineering is involved in various sectors such as public works, civil engineering,
public administration, material analysis and testing laboratories, and research centers,
including:

 Earthworks

 Basic infrastructure and civil engineering structures (bridges, tunnels, railways, dams,
etc.)

 Soil control and geo-risks: Measurement, analysis, and design

 Ministry

 Control agencies

4. Role of Mining Specialists:

Definition: A mining engineer specializes in soils and is also an expert in mineral resource
extraction methods. They represent the driving force behind an industry focused on high
technology and environmental responsibility. The economic exploitation of mineral resources
requires mining engineers to be versatile and forward-looking.
Roles of Mining Specialists:

 They oversee the extraction of metallic and non-metallic minerals and ores, whether in
underground or open-pit mines.

 Responsible for dewatering strategies for pits, they determine appropriate drilling and
blasting methods, supervise and coordinate the work of mining technicians and, if
necessary, less experienced mining engineers.

 Among the main responsibilities of this versatile engineer is also the management or
collaboration in the realization of pre-project mining studies (preliminary, pre-
feasibility, feasibility), which includes the preparation of technical notes and reports and
presentations.

 Mining engineers also provide technical services: rock mechanics, mining ventilation,
and planning, mining operation audits, and more.

 In this capacity, they ensure that schedules and medium-term plans are adhered to,
develop budgets, and are responsible for achieving production levels dictated by global
markets.

 Additionally, they may be involved in large civil engineering projects, such as subways,
hydroelectric facilities, roads, tunnels, etc.

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