Mining Education Australia (MEA) has been congratulated by a leading mining academic  for providing a well balanced mining engineering degree that gives students the attributes needed in future graduates.

Mining Education Australia has worked hard to develop an all-rounded program and according to Professor Malcolm Scoble, they have been very successful.

A diverse range of mining scenarios is covered throughout the program and “all core professional competencies for mining engineers are addressed” said Professor Malcolm Scoble.

The program content has been described as thorough and well organised with the program being centralized around six specialised themes.

Ongoing support from the staff and the balance between lectures, project based learning and self directed learning is very valuable and “considered to be unique in mining education”, said Professor Scoble.

After visiting the member universities, interviewing staff and students it has been said that the MEA program gives students the tools to develop their communication skills and strengthen their research competence.

The balanced program will give graduates the qualities to competently approach the workplace in the future according to Professor Scoble.

Thinking of a Cadetship? You can with MEA’s study options.
MEA is providing more flexibility in education opportunities for people wishing to enter the mining industry and now are able to accommodate cadetships in the mining industry, whilst completing a mining degree over 6 years. Cadetships benefit both students and industry by allowing students to combine study with paid work, gaining valuable on the job experience at a mining company.

Students wishing to take advantage of this new flexible mode of study are encouraged to approach the HR departments of mining companies to enquire into cadetship programs.

Congratulations to MEA Lecturer Dr Mehmet Kizil who has again received an award for teaching excellence from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. This makes it two years in a row for Mehmet who also achieved an award in 2007. This year’s award was for outstanding teaching, dedicated commitment and leadership in innovative curriculum development through successful national and industry collaboration in Mining Engineering.

In 2007, in response to concerns about the global impacts of mining from the world’s two most populous countries, David Laurence embarked on two ambitious research projects.

The first was examining the environmental impacts of coal mining in the Zhengzhou region of China.  The research, funded by the Asia Development Bank, aimed to determine the environmental costs and/or benefits of the restructuring program involving the amalgamation of small mines into larger production entities.  There are benefits from the restructuring but the significant environmental challenges need innovative solutions.  The challenges include greenhouse gas emissions from the high methane content of the underground coal; water quality and quantity from mine drainage; dust from coal stockpiles and transportation; subsidence from longwall operations and large, unrehabilitated waste dumps.

The second project looked at improving the sustainability of coal mining in India.  David co-organised (with the Indian School of Mines and ANU) the 1st International Conference on Managing the Social and Environmental Consequences of Coal Mining in India held in New Delhi in November.  With over 90 papers presented and 300 delegates, the Conference was an outstanding success and raised the awareness of the big issues including; greenhouse gas emissions; dust; mine rehabilitation and mine closure; mine fires; subsidence and displacement of villagers by expanding open cut mines.  As a result, a set of recommendations for both governments and industry was developed and the New Delhi Declaration produced.  The research in India will expand significantly in 2008 and beyond into other minerals including uranium.

Congratulations to Dr Mehmet Kizil, MEA Lecturer who was awarded the inaugural Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture (ESPA) Excellence in Teaching Awards at the EPSA Teaching and Learning Showcase on 29 October 2007.  Mehmet also won the University of Queensland School of Engineering’s Excellence in Teaching Award.  Dr Kizil has also been nominated for 2008 Carrick Awards for Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Students Learning.  Way to go Mehmet!

A VIRTUAL reality system developed at the University of NSW has overcome a classic conundrum for the coal industry: how to provide realistic training for emergencies which does not put people at risk.

The project has required collaboration from mining engineers, artists and computer scientists, and Coal Services Pty Ltd has signed a $5 million deal to buy the software and four of its 360-degree cinemas. A smaller 160-degree version of the system is in use at the Argenton mine near Newcastle.

Virtual Reality Keeps Miners Out of Risk

Read more…