University stakes its claim on mining education

Mining Engineering

A new degree to be offered by the University of Adelaide in 2007 will position South Australia at the forefront of mining education in the country.

Up to 30 students will be offered places in the inaugural Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) intake in the first semester of 2007.

According to Professor Ian Plimer, who will lead a recruitment drive for the new degree, the four-year degree will help satisfy the "massive need" for skilled mining engineers across Australia.

"Australia is producing just 40% of the mining engineers it needs. Currently, we have three universities in the country that graduate about 105 mining engineers each year. That's more than the United States (they produce about 95), but it falls way short of our needs," Professor Plimer said.

The University recruited Professor Plimer from the University of Melbourne early this year, specifically to develop mining geology courses and lead the recruitment drive for the mining engineering degree. He holds a joint appointment in the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.

"This University - in conjunction with the State Government - has been incredibly astute to realise that the world is undergoing a global restructuring of commodities and we can play a huge role in that."

Professor Plimer said the population explosion in India and China - which collectively number more than two billion people - had placed pressure on the world to supply their energy and manufacturing feed-stock needs.

"What we're experiencing is not a mining boom or bubble, but a fundamental re-evaluation of commodities against real estate and cash. It means we will have to do a lot more exploration and to do that we need highly skilled people."

The University's new mining engineering degree will supplement programs at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia, the University of NSW and the University of Queensland.

Professor Plimer said the University would contribute its world-class expertise in geotechnical engineering, near-mine exploration, geostatistics, mine valuation and mine finance.

"The best place to mine and replace commodities is next to your operating mines, both for geological as well as capital and infrastructure reasons."

A recruitment drive for the first cohort of mining engineering students will be launched this month across South Australia, targeting both city and rural schools.

Graduates of the new degree can expect generous starting salaries with a qualification that gives them "a ticket to a fascinating life," Professor Plimer said.

"One of the problems with recruiting for the mining industry is that a lot of people treat it as a dirty business. They don't realise you can spend your life travelling the world and seeing places that tourists can never get to."

Professor Plimer said while the initial costs to establish the Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) would be significant, within several years the course would be self-sustaining.

"I have no doubt that industry will jump on board very quickly in the form of bursaries because demand for our graduates will far outstrip supply.

The University will help give this state an economic leg-up by training people who can capitalise on this global demand."

Story by Candy Gibson