Sustainable Development of Finite Natural Resources
UA mining engineers convert mineral resources into new and useful products, develop more sustainable extraction and refining processes, design systems that conserve water and reduce energy use in mines, and help build stronger and more resilient structures in seismically active regions.
Academics > Research Opportunities > Centers > Outside the Classroom > Career Paths >
UA mining engineering graduates get job offers from companies across the globe -- from as near as Arizona, Colorado and Utah to as far as Mongolia, Peru, Australia and Hawaii.
Academic Focus Areas
The mining engineering major has four tracks:
- Mine Operations
- Geomechanics
- Sustainable Resource Development
- Mineral Processing
Research Opportunities
Research focus areas include:
- Geomechanics
- Mine production
- Information technology
- Health and safety
- Sustainable development
- Mineral processing
- Metals extraction
UA mining engineers are revolutionizing mine safety by developing autonomous systems for operating heavy equipment remotely, and novel techniques for converting mine tailings into insulation material to better protect workers from extreme temperatures in hot underground metal mines
Mining & Geological Engineering Program
Research Centers
- San Xavier Underground Mining Lab - largest student-run underground mine in the country
- J. David Lowell Institute of Mineral Resources - promoting sustainable resource development
Outside the Classroom
In addition to running a working mine, most UA mining engineering students work multiple internships with mining, petroleum and gas companies, thanks to our strong links with industry partners. Students also gain practical experience and professional contacts in the student chapters of the International Society of Explosives Engineers and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
Career Paths
Mining engineers work on all aspects of mining, including operations, minerals extraction, resource sustainability and mineworker safety. They also plan and supervise excavations associated with construction, tunnels, and environmental projects. In a survey of UA engineering bachelor’s degree recipients in 2014, graduates of the mining engineering program received among the highest starting salaries of all UA graduating seniors.
