As work continues to establish Memorial University's new co-operative bachelor of engineering in mining and mineral processing degree, the provincial government and industry partners are demonstrating strong support.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $2.25 million and Vale is contributing $3.9 million to support the development and implementation of the new program, which is in the final stages of development in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science in co-operation with the Department Earth Sciences.
The program is aimed at fostering engineering professionals with the specialized skills necessary to sustainably advance mining, mineral exploration and production in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"Memorial is proud to develop programming that is responsive to the needs of students, industry and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Dr. Bing Chen, interim dean of the faculty. "By leveraging existing expertise and working closely with our partners, we are proposing a program that will educate future mining engineers, grow a talent pipeline and innovation ecosystems in the resource sector and contribute to the economic development of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada."
Provincial and federal strategies identify mining for critical minerals as a key pillar of the Canadian economy, with a strong emphasis on education to develop the necessary professional and skilled workforce.
The program builds on Memorial's expertise in drilling engineering, mining systems, mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, green extraction technologies, process engineering, automation, data analytics, sustainability and process safety. Photo: Submitted
The majority of mining sites in the province are located in Labrador and other remote regions.
A core objective of the Bachelor of Engineering in Mining and Mineral Processing Program is to attract and train youth from Indigenous and rural communities to pursue careers in mining.
The program builds on internationally recognized expertise at Memorial in drilling engineering, mining systems, mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, green extraction technologies, process engineering, automation, data analytics, sustainability and process safety.
It is intended to leverage existing academic structure, with 36 of the 47 required courses already offered.
The program has been approved by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculty Council and is moving through Memorial's academic governance processes.
It is anticipated to be considered by Senate and the Board of Regents in the coming months.
Pending approval, Memorial University looks forward to celebrating its funding partners and the launch of the program in due course.
For more information
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