Office for Professional Education

Class Hours: Wednesday 8:30AM Mountain Time (all sessions are recorded)
Course begins: March 25, 2026
Course concludes: August 12, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Andrea Brickey
Office Phone: 605-394-1275
Mobile: 303-249-6521
Email: andrea.brickey@sdsmt.edu

View Mining Essentials Syllabus

Register Here

Course Description

The Mining Essentials Program (MEP) is a professional development program focused on teaching professionals about mining from a practical industry point of view. It is delivered through South Dakota Mines' Office for Professional Education and Department of Mining Engineering and Management.

Textbooks

• Provided: Brickey, A., McBrayer, A., Guerin-Davey, K. (2024). Mining Practitioner’s Reference Guide
• Optional: Dunbar, S. (2016). How Mining Works. Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is highly recommended during the live streaming of the lecture, but if unable to attend, participants are required to watch the missed lecture prior to the next class.

Learning Outcomes

After completion of this course, participants will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Explain the operational processes and practices pivotal to the mining industry
• Comprehend and utilize important mining-related terminology
• Describe key mining concepts from a practical, applied-learning perspective backed by a theoretical understanding of how and when to apply this mining knowledge
• Communicate effectively when interacting with mining companies

Grading

To complete the program, the participant must complete all 8 assignments. The assignments are not graded, but participants will be provided with feedback on their responses. To complete the program and receive the completion certificate, participants must submit all assignments by February 28, 2026.

Late Homework Policy

Assignments are due 2 weeks (typically) from the assigned date.

Computer Usage

MS Teams, D2L, Internet Browser (Chrome recommended, Firefox, IE), Kahoot.it, MS Word, MS Excel.

Internet Requirement

Sufficient internet connection to live-stream audio and visual media.

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The class will be online and will include live one-on-one time scheduled with the instructor to answer questions and complete the course.

Concepts discussed in the workshop apply to ArcGIS Pro.

Register Here

 

Note: If you do not receive a GIS Workshop confirmation email within a day or two of registering, please email Victoria.Karnes@sdsmt.edu to inquire.

Workshop Descriptions

Intro to ArcGIS I: Mapping with GIS

Instructor: Victoria Karnes
This workshop is designed for people with no previous GIS experience. It covers the basics on how ArcGIS stores and manages map data and introduces participants to making maps and working with GIS data sets and data tables. GIS data storage, creating maps, publishing map layouts, and working with tables are all covered. It also includes an overview of commonly used sources of GIS data and how to adapt them for your own use. (Tuition includes license for Mastering ArcGIS or Mastering ArcGIS Pro e-textbook)
Background required: Familiarity with Windows and Internet browsers

Intro to ArcGIS II: GIS Analysis

Instructor: Victoria Karnes
This workshop is designed for people who want an introduction to the types of spatial analysis possible with GIS data. It introduces many key GIS techniques, including how to conduct a suitability study based on multiple criteria, analyze spatial relationships between layers, work with topographic data, interpolate values from point data, and solve problems using distance and neighborhood factors. (Tuition includes license for Mastering ArcGIS or Mastering ArcGIS Pro e-textbook)
Background required: Intro to ArcGIS I workshop or equivalent experience

About the Instructor

Victoria Karnes is the geospatial technology instructor in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at South Dakota Mines. She joined the Mines faculty in 2022 after completing her master's degree in space and planetary science at the University of Arkansas. She oversees both the geospatial technology minor and certificate programs at Mines and is responsible for ArcGIS licensing for all South Dakota universities. She also serves as a board member for the Black Hills Digital Mapping Association and enjoys assisting other professors in various research projects across campus. She earned her bachelor's degree in geology from South Dakota Mines in 2019 and specialized in ESRI products, QGIS, and ENVI.

Attendee Feedback

• The instructor was very knowledgeable and presented the class clearly.
• The workshop helped me with understanding the general concepts.
• The class project aspect for each day helped.
• The organization was great. The instructor's ability to respond to questions real-time was very useful.

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