Master's Program in Mining Engineering
Mining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, theory, science, technology and applications of extracting minerals from nature. Mining engineering also includes the processing of minerals for obtaining the added value.
Mineral extraction is very important for modern society. Mining activities naturally can cause disruption to the environment in and around the area where the minerals are located. Therefore, a mining master must be concerned not only with the production and processing of mineral commodities, but also with the mitigation of environmental impact.
Mining engineering is a complex and interdisciplinary field that includes geological, civil, mechanical and material elements. Mining engineering ensures that the activities is carried out efficiently and safely while maintaining sustainability and minimal environmental impact.
This program offers four options or expertise fields as follows: earth resource exploration, geomechanics, mineral & coal management and economics, mining environmental management.
In keeping with our collaborative view, one of our strengths lies in our relationship with the mining industry. Most of the graduates of this program have job opportunities in large industries and participate in research activities working in mining sector. This hands-on approach helps students to develop their practical skills. In addition, graduates of this program are actively working as consultants. The program educational objective is to produce graduates who are innovative, responsive to the industry, and are recognized both nationally and internationally.
The Mining Engineering Master Program has 4 (four) options or expertise fields, namely:
1. Earth Resources Exploration
Natural resources, which include minerals, water, oil and geothermal, are the mainstay in carrying out national development. A more complete understanding of the distribution of mineral deposits using more advanced technology will greatly assist in anticipating the possibilities for various types of complexity of mineral deposits.
For this reason, more systematic exploration activities need to be increased both in the development of mineral deposits that have been found in mine exploration stage which are related to the distribution of mineral deposits around the mining site, as well as to look for new mineral deposits related to where they are located, how large the source is, how much the resources or reserves, and how to manage them economically.
Exploration planning that does not only target one mining commodity, but also pays attention to all commodities contained in the mineral deposits to be explored, needs to be developed in order to increase the use of non-renewable minerals in accordance with the concept of mineral conservation.
This option will answer the need for knowledge, technology, and experts in the exploration and evaluation of mineral & coal deposits. An appropriate and accurate exploration knowledge and technology, owned by development actors, will increase the finding number of natural resources and will certainly make a very significant contribution to national development.
2. Geomechanics
At present, the construction of underground structures, both in the form of tunnels and types of stopes and the application of other underground mining systems tends to increase in Indonesia. In the future, underground construction is an alternative that has bright prospects, considering Indonesia’s potential and natural conditions will support this activity.
It is known that underground work is a high risk both in terms of safety and costs during development and in terms of the stability of the stopes. The involvement of experts from various disciplines from the preliminary design stage to the construction stage is very large. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare Indonesian professional experts who are involved in various underground excavation projects as well as the possibility that technology transfer process in this field can take place properly.
In addition, determining the properties and behavior of rock masses is increasingly important with the rapid construction of complex structures both at surface and underground.
3. Mineral and Coal Management and Economics
The role of mineral and coal resources in the economy is getting larger along with the increasing rate of development in Indonesia. Increasing this role requires the exploitation of resources effectively and efficiently by considering the principles of conservation.
The exploitation of mineral and coal resources requires a combination of various aspects such as economics, financing or accounting, management and law or legislation with engineering knowledge such as exploration, mining and mineral processing. For this reason, it is necessary to support human resources who have broad insight and sufficient knowledge regarding such aspects.
As a manifestation of a sense of responsibility for the development of the mining industry in Indonesia, this option provides education to create mineral and coal economics experts who are professional and have high integrity.
4. Mining Environmental Management
Mining business is a challenge to the environmental issues, where mining operations will always change local environmental conditions. With a good characterization of the physical and social environmental conditions, an environmentally sound mining plan can be provided. Potential changes in the environment can be identified from the beginning, so that a good environmental management plan can be developed during the mining and post-mining processes.
As a manifestation of a sense of responsibility towards the development of an environmentally sound mining industry in Indonesia, this option provides education to create mining environmentalists who are professional and have high integrity.
The focus of thesis research in Mining Engineering Master Program includes:
- Exploration of mineral and coal deposits, characteristics and genetic models of mineral and coal deposits, development of geological models and mineral resources,
- Rock engineering, strength analysis in mine excavation, slope and tunnel stability analysis, landslide potential analysis, numerical modeling,
- Study of methane emission as a parameter of mine ventilation model, water test – chemical modeling on rock kinetic tests – rock geochemistry modeling on mine acid water,
- Analysis of coal prices on energy consumption, analysis of metal mineral and coal industry chains, optimizing the allocation of mineral and coal resources.
Laboratory facilities (resource sharing with undergraduate program) include:
- Laboratory of Mine Environmental
- Laboratory of Exploration Techniques and Evaluation of Mineral Materials
- Laboratory of Mineralogy, Microscopy, and Geochemistry
- Laboratory of Hydrogeology and Hydrogeochemistry
- Laboratory of Geomechanics and Mining Equipment
- Laboratory of Mine Planning and Valuation
- Laboratory of Mineral Economics and Computation