Program Offerings
• Bachelor of science degree in Mining Engineering
• Accelerated master’s in Mining Engineering (earn your bachelor’s and master’s in as little as five years)
• Master of science degree in Mining Engineering and Management
• Minor: Mining Engineering
• Certificates: Mining 360
*The BS in Mining Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
What is Mining Engineering?
From TVs and toothpaste to cell phones and cars, the modern world depends on mining. Prepare to meet its 21st-century demands at one of only 13 programs nationwide.
Mining engineering has become highly automated, utilizing robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, advanced explosives, and simulation technology to provide the raw materials for industries ranging from automotive to aerospace.
At Mines, students receive hands-on experience with industry-grade equipment, management training, and the opportunity to survey a mile underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. To ensure students can access our world-class program, the department awards $250,000 in scholarship money each year.
The Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. With 100% placement and average starting salaries of $70,000 plus, graduates launch their careers at Kiewit, BHP Billiton, Newmont Mining, Freeport McMoRan, Cargill, Joy Global, Lafarge, Cloud Peak, and more.
What does a mining engineer do?
Mining engineers identify the location of valuable and accessible material deposits and devise processes for extracting them safely from the earth for use in manufacturing and utilities. Mining engineers strive to extract the minerals for the least cost and the lowest environmental impact, and often specialize in one type of mineral or metal. Specific duties of a mining engineer might include:
• Design mines, both underground and open-pit
• Supervise construction of mines, tunnels and shafts
• Design transportation plans to move minerals to processing plants
• Write technical reports for miners, fellow engineers and mine managers
• Assess the effectiveness of a mining operation
• Solve problems relating to pollution, sustainability and land reclamation
• Monitor safety of mining operations
First-Year Courses
Examples of the required courses for mining engineering at South Dakota Mines:
• General chemistry
• Calculus I
• Intro to GEOE and Mining Engineering
• Composition
• Physical Education
• Intro to Mining
• Physics I
Course Curriculum
Link to Catalog
Internships and Co-ops
On average, 79 percent of South Dakota Mines students have applicable work experience when they graduate thanks to internships and co-ops. Students receive an average salary of $19.70/hour during internships and co-ops. Some of the companies where mining students intern include:
• Sanford Underground Research Facility
• Barick Gold
• Cloud Peak Energy
• Freeport McMoRan
• Kiewit
• RESPEC
• Caterpillar
• Cargill