Sustainable Mining and Materials Elective Specialization

Earth mineral and metal resources are the backbone of civilization but their development faces several big challenges. Traditional processing paradigms are no longer sustainable and cannot adequately address the demands and economic growth of the modern world. Institutions are now looking for alternatives to create a more sustainable circular economy. Employing advanced mining operations or “mines of the future”, such as mine-to-metal integration, are becoming increasingly popular. At the same time, secondary resources, like waste and recycle streams generated from traditional mineral processing, are being explored as replacements for primary sources.

This elective specialization integrates foundational engineering principles and processes with the transformational innovations in earth resources management industries. This combined approach will train you to leverage innovative technologies and sustainable practices in order to develop advanced mining operations. You’ll also learn how to assess these novel operations to ensure they effectively maximize resource efficiency, minimize environmental impact, and mitigate health and ecological risks. This experience will prepare you to move into the materials, minerals, and metals sector and utilize your specialist engineering knowledge to make real societal changes.

Careers in Sustainable Mining and Materials

This elective specialization aims to develop a new generation of engineers who can rebuild the world’s minerals, metals, and materials infrastructure, which today is stretched nearly beyond the limits of its sustainability. Your specialized skills will open up career opportunities in industries focused on sustainable resource extraction, environmental stewardship, and materials management. 

Career paths include:

• Environmental engineer in mining operations
• Sustainability analyst
• Materials recovery specialist
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) manager
• Environmental impact assessment (EIA) specialist
• Sustainable resource manager
• Policy advisor or regulatory specialist
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) analyst
• Research scientist