XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 803
companies pointed out a need of sufficient experience in
the field.
Recommendations to Enhance Future Mining
Education
Figure 8 shows recommendations suggested by industry
to enhance mining education. The recommendations were
grouped into four areas: faculty hire and the focus of the
school of mining, collaboration between industry and aca-
demia, a need of diversity, and more funding. The number
of recommendations within these four areas ranges from 1
to 9. Nine recommendations were categorized as “collabo-
ration between industry and academia,” four were “faculty
hire and the focus of the mining school,” one was “a need
of diversity,” and one was “more funding.” One of the rec-
ommendations under the area of “collaboration between
industry and academia” was written as “More industry aca-
demia collaborations to bring out relevant solutions for the
industry.” One respondent suggested in the area of “faculty
hire and the focus of the mining school” as “When hiring
faculty to teach engineers, the emphasis should not be on
research or other academic pursuits, but on practical engi-
neering experience. Also, on choosing personalities that
like to interact with students.” The recommendation of “a
need of diversity” was stated as “I think creating diversity
of the mining/metallurgy education is important as it is a
very broad topic with many commodities involved.” The
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sufficient experience in the field
Connect with industry to understand research
partnership and job opportunities
Other
Mining/metallurgical operation
Mining/metallurgical consulting
Mining/metallurgical equipment supplier
Research and development (R &D)
Engineering procurement, construction, and management (EPCM)
Figure 7. Frequencies of desired qualifications in the next five years under other categories
recommendation of “more funding” was written as “More
funding for mining education.”
The nine recommendations under “collaboration
between industry and academia” were identified by respon-
dents who worked in all kinds of companies included in the
study. The four recommendations under “faculty hire and
the focus of the mining school” were identified by respon-
dents who worked in a mining/metallurgical operation
company, a mining/metallurgical equipment supplier com-
pany, and an EPCM company. The recommendation under
“a need of diversity” was identified by a respondent who
worked in a mining/metallurgical consulting company. The
recommendation under “more funding” was identified by
a respondent who worked in a mining/metallurgical equip-
ment supplier company.
Challenges That May Be Tackled by New Technologies
Several respondents provided their feedback on forth-
coming industrial challenges that have the potential to be
tackled by new technologies in the coming years. Table 2
presents these comments by respondents’ companies.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the progress made in other countries and find-
ings from our survey, we provide the four additional rec-
ommendations to the existing certification mechanism for
improving the U.S. metal mining education programs:
(1) involving more stakeholders, such as students, faculty
companies pointed out a need of sufficient experience in
the field.
Recommendations to Enhance Future Mining
Education
Figure 8 shows recommendations suggested by industry
to enhance mining education. The recommendations were
grouped into four areas: faculty hire and the focus of the
school of mining, collaboration between industry and aca-
demia, a need of diversity, and more funding. The number
of recommendations within these four areas ranges from 1
to 9. Nine recommendations were categorized as “collabo-
ration between industry and academia,” four were “faculty
hire and the focus of the mining school,” one was “a need
of diversity,” and one was “more funding.” One of the rec-
ommendations under the area of “collaboration between
industry and academia” was written as “More industry aca-
demia collaborations to bring out relevant solutions for the
industry.” One respondent suggested in the area of “faculty
hire and the focus of the mining school” as “When hiring
faculty to teach engineers, the emphasis should not be on
research or other academic pursuits, but on practical engi-
neering experience. Also, on choosing personalities that
like to interact with students.” The recommendation of “a
need of diversity” was stated as “I think creating diversity
of the mining/metallurgy education is important as it is a
very broad topic with many commodities involved.” The
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sufficient experience in the field
Connect with industry to understand research
partnership and job opportunities
Other
Mining/metallurgical operation
Mining/metallurgical consulting
Mining/metallurgical equipment supplier
Research and development (R &D)
Engineering procurement, construction, and management (EPCM)
Figure 7. Frequencies of desired qualifications in the next five years under other categories
recommendation of “more funding” was written as “More
funding for mining education.”
The nine recommendations under “collaboration
between industry and academia” were identified by respon-
dents who worked in all kinds of companies included in the
study. The four recommendations under “faculty hire and
the focus of the mining school” were identified by respon-
dents who worked in a mining/metallurgical operation
company, a mining/metallurgical equipment supplier com-
pany, and an EPCM company. The recommendation under
“a need of diversity” was identified by a respondent who
worked in a mining/metallurgical consulting company. The
recommendation under “more funding” was identified by
a respondent who worked in a mining/metallurgical equip-
ment supplier company.
Challenges That May Be Tackled by New Technologies
Several respondents provided their feedback on forth-
coming industrial challenges that have the potential to be
tackled by new technologies in the coming years. Table 2
presents these comments by respondents’ companies.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the progress made in other countries and find-
ings from our survey, we provide the four additional rec-
ommendations to the existing certification mechanism for
improving the U.S. metal mining education programs:
(1) involving more stakeholders, such as students, faculty