The Mining department, in association with the Metallurgy department, offers a range of courses which lead to operating or research positions within the mining, mineral and metallurgical industries, or in teaching, research or government establishments associated with these industries.
The number of students taking these courses is small, and is in fact inadequate to supply the Australian demand for graduates in these fields of work. This is unfortunate, because many openings exist for satisfying, constructive and well-rewarded employment in the
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mining, mineral and metallurgical industries. The mineral industries of Australia must progress because the development of the country depends to a great extent on an expanding production and use of mineral raw materials of all kinds.
The smallness of the number of students enrolling for these courses can only be due to lack of knowledge of the excellent opportunities for graduates in the fields of mining.
mineral processing and metallurgy.
At the University of Melbourne in 1874-5 an option was introduced in the third year of the course leading to the certificate of Civil Engineer, which allowed students to specialize in either civil or mining engineering. This represented the first instruction in mining to be given in any Australian university. When a degree course in Civil Engineering was introduced in 188z, a similar option was retained in the fourth year. In 1901 a separate degree (В.М.Е.) in Mining Engineering was introduced.
Until 1924 teaching of mining was administered within a single department of Engineer- ing, and from 1824 to 194g, within the department of Metallurgy. In 1949 a separate department of Mining was established. A new building for this department erected in 1954 was occupied in 1955.
Since 1934 an Ore Dressing Section of C.S.I.R.O. has been associated with the department, conducting research on the treatment of Australian ores. Currently the staff of this section numbers seventeen.
The Mining department has two major fields of interest and responsibility which are closely related to each other.
1. The science and engineering practice of mining by underground, open cut and alluvial methods. This includes such topics as prospecting, exploration and development of mineral resources; drilling, blasting and rock breaking; ore and coal winning; transport, haulage, ventilation and drainage in mines; rock mechanics and mine design; mining equipment; mine sampling and valuation; mineral economics and mine management.
A major research interest is rock drilling and the allied field of rock mechanics.
z. The science and engineering practice of mineral processing, and in particular of mineral dressing. This includes such topics as crushing and grinding; sampling; screening and classifying; concentrating minerals by gravity, centrifugal, magnetic, electrostatic, flotation and other methods. Also included are solid-liquid separation processes;
chemical leaching of ores; high temperature reactions; treatment plant design; operational control, mineral economics and management.
Research interests cover many of these fields, with particular emphasis on the surface chemistry of mineral-water systems involved in flotation concentration and solid-liquid separation processes, and on electrostatic methods of concentration.
The Mining department offers courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering, and in Mineral Engineering.
in the Mining Engineering course, the first two years lay a foundation of chemistry.
physics, mathematics and general engineering subjects. The later years include additional general engineering, statistics, mine surveying, mining geology, mining, mining design, mineral processing. mineral economics and mine management. Graduates find employment in underground mining and open cutting and in civil tunnelling and excavation projects.
The roads to management or to technical specialization lie open to them. The mining degree gives partial exemption from examinations for Mine Manager's certificates and similar certificates in most States of Australia.
In the Mineral Engineering course the emphasis is on the processing of all types of mineral raw materials by a variety of physical and chemical processes. Graduates can find employment in the field of metallic mineral beneficiation or in the non-metallic industries producing lime, cement, asbestos, plaster, clay and ceramic products. The first two years lay a foundation of physics, chemistry, mathematics, geology, general engineering and materials science, and are almost identical with the first two years of the Metallurgical Engineering course. Later years stress the science and technology of the chemical and physical processing of minerals, with additional general engineering, statistics, mineralogy, geochemistry, mining, mineral economics and mineral industry management. This course should appeal to students with an interest in minerals who desire to become engineers rather than field geologists, and to those having an interest in the applications of physics or chemistry to the engineering processing of mineral raw materials. Opportunities exist both in operation-management and in research.
The Mining department also provides an introductory course in Mining for Science students majoring in Geology, and is responsible for Topics in Mineral Processing included in the subjects Mctg1lurgy Parts I, Ti and III, which are studied by students of Metal- lurgical Engineering, Sciепce or Applied Science.
Post Graduate training and research within the department, in mining or in mineral processing, can lead to the higher degrees of master of Engineering Science, or master of Science, and doctor of Philosophy. There is also available the professional degree of master of Engineering in Mining Engineering or Mineral Engineering.
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Teaching Sta$
Associat& Professor of Mining:
H. H. Dunkin, B.Met.E., M.Aus.I.M.M.
Senior Lecturer in Mining Engineering:>
H.
F. C. Nevj11, A,O.S.M., A.M.Aus.I.M.M., A.M.I.M.M.Senior Lecturer in Minerai Processing:
J. S. Carr, B.Sc., B.E. (N.Z.), M.S. (Missouri), S.M. (M.I.T.), M.Sc., A.M.Aus.LM.M., A.M.A.I.M.E.
Lecturer in Rock Mechanics:
To be appointed
PART-TIME TEACHING OFFICERS Lecturers:
J. T. Woodcock, B.Met.E., M.Eng.Sc., M.Aus.I.M.M.
S. B. Hudson, B.Sc. (W.A.), M.Sc., M.Aus.I.M.M.,A.Inst.P., A.A.I.P.
К. S. Blaskett, В.Е. (Adel.), M.Aus.I.M.M.
Demonstrators:
W. J. Trahar, B.Sc.
J. S. Henkel, B.Met.E., A.M.AUs.I.M.M.
List of Subjects for Mining Engineering Course FIRST YEAR
551 Chemistry (Engineering course) 552 Engineering part I
553-1 Engineering Mathematics part I 554-1 Physics part I (Engineering course) SECOND YEAR
555-1 Applied Thermodynamics part I 556-1 Dynamics of Machines part I 557-1 Electrical Engineering part IA 558-1 1Engineering Design part I 559 Engineering Materials
553-2 Engineering Mathematics part II 56o-1 Mechanics of Solids part I
554-2 1Physics part II (Engineering course) THIRD YEAR
641 1Engineeňng Design (Mining course) 563-г 1Fluid Mechanics В
642 Geology part I (Mining course) 643-1 Mining part I
582-1 ' Surveying part I 625 Statistics for Engineers FOURTH YEAR'
2;2,-; Business Administration 3 (Business Decisions) 634 2Mjneral Industry Management
644 2Mjneral Processing 643-z 2Mining part II
645 2Mjning Design
646 Surveying part II (Mining course)
The examinations in these subjects will be for Pass only.
2 Honours are n t awarded for these individual subjects, as they belong to a group of subjects for which Final Honours are awarded.
А preliminary course in Fortran Programming for students enrolling in Fourth Year in 5967 will begin on б March. This course is optional for Mining Engineering students but is recommended as a useful preparation for Fourth Year studies.
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List of Subjects for Mineral Engineering Course
FIRST YEAR
420 Chemistry IB
„z Engineering part I
553-1 Engineering Mathematics part I 554-1 Physics part I (Engineering course) SECOND YEAR
566-1 *Engineering Mathematics part IIA 621 Geology part I (Metallurgy) бzz 1Metallurgjcal Chemistry бгз-1 Metallurgical Engineering part I 624-1 Metallurgy part I
554-2. 'Physics part II (Engineering course) THIRD YEAR
557-1 'Electrical Engineering part IA 558-1 1Engineering Design part I 563-з 1Fluid Mechanics C 631 Geology part II (Mineral) 632.-1 Mineral Engineering part I 6z5 Statistics for Engineers FOURTH YEAR2
6;2-a Mineral Engineering part II 634 Mineral Industry Management
633 Geochemistry (Mineral Engineering course) 635 Mining part IA
232-3 Business Administration 3 (Business Decisions) and either
553-2 Engineering Mathematics part II or
232-2 Business Administration z (Business Planning and Control) and
ZZO-8 Economics C 8 (Industrial Relations) and
an 'Approved elective subject
t The examination in these subjects will be for pass only.
2 Additional work in the Final Year will be prescribed for Final Honours candidates.
S The elective subject must be approved by the head of the department of. Mining.
4 Additional subject which may be taken with approval of the head of the department of Mining, provided performance in First Year subjects, including Engineering Mathematics I, is satisfactory.