Search for: All records

Mining industry receives an increasing attention in green energy transition technologies in the U.S. However, little information is available regarding how the U.S. mining engineering education, particularly hard rock mining, is prepared to meet with the industry needs. This study summarizes a survey with an aim to understand the industry perspectives. The survey consisted of both closed- and open-ended questions. The survey results showed that the industry is concerned with a shortage of qualified graduates from the current U.S. hard rock mining engineering education system. The qualifications of the current education system need to be improved include engineering sciences underlying mining methods, mining design experience, mining feasibility study, the connection between theory and practice, and understanding the overall mining operation. The future desired qualifications were also suggested. Notably, the most desired ones in the next five years include an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed and sufficient field experience. The survey participants, regardless of the nature of their affiliated mining companies, unanimously recommended that the collaborations between the industry and academia in the U.S. should be enhanced. Based on the survey results, the study concluded with four recommendations: (1) involve more multiple stakeholders in reforming mining education programs, (2) reinforce field experience as a key part of mining engineering programs, (3) enhance a closer collaboration between academia and industry, and (4) integrate emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence/virtual reality) guided by pedagogical theories into new mining engineering curriculums.