About the Department
Mining Engineering is an engineering discipline that involves prospecting of minerals like gold, silver, copper, nickel and uranium (metallic) and salt, potash, coal (nonmetallic) formations, extracting them from where concentrated naturally in the earth,by surface and underground operations ensuring the safe and efficient technology, and processing them according to market and customer requirements. Essentially, Mining Engineering is about designing for all aspects involved in finding mineral resources, extracting, processing, and supplying these resources for the benefit of humanity.
The mankind has always been interested in the use of ores ever since his existence, and made use of minerals in various stages along the road to civilization. Historically, the civilizations using ores effectively were the ones who gained superiority over their rivals and prospered. Today, mining engineering is not only concerned with the metallic ores, but also with ceramics, building stones, and cement. n more recent years, noticeable increase in the demand for marble and natural stones occurred; resulting a shift in mining engineer’s and researcher’s attention towards these sectors. Mining engineering frequently involves projects concerning tunneling, construction, environmental protection, and earth removal for various purposes.
Mining Engineers design and operate mines and are able to gain employment in surface and underground mining operations, in industrial and raw material processing installations, in all levels of marble and natural stone industries, and in industries dealing with cement, ceramics, tunneling, drilling, and earth removal operations. Mining Engineering knowledge base includes technical design and business management and as with other engineers, a thorough understanding of fundamental mathematics and sciences. Mining engineers are responsible for deciding how valuable a mineral deposit is and how best to mine it, for planning the day-to-day schedule and path of mining to maximize extraction and profit, and for ensuring the safety of people and equipment through mine ventilation and application of rock mechanics. However, mining engineers also require an understanding of a number of aspects of other engineering disciplines including Civil, Electrical, Geological, Mechanical and Computer engineering. Unlike other engineers, Mining Engineers have the added challenge of working in rock from thousands of meters above and below sea level.
In Turkey, Mining Engineers have employment opportunities in public sector organizations such as Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI), Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK), General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI), and Etibank; as well as in private-sector organizations, such as cement factories, marble-producing and processing operations, stone and other aggregate producing installations, and pre-formed concrete installations. The Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey is the professional body representing mining engineers within overall structure of the Union of Turkish Chambers of Engineers and Architects.
The Mining Engineering Department was established and started a curriculum in 1987, as part of Isparta Faculty of Engineering of the Mediterranean University based in Antalya. With the establishment of Süleyman Demirel University in 1992 in Isparta, the department became a part of the Faculty of Engineering- Architecture of the new university; and later with restructuring, has been conducting teaching and research as a department of Faculty of Engineering. Although the department started with limited number of teaching/research staff and limited laboratory facilities at the start, it has managed to emerge with a top-level teaching staff and very good laboratories over time. Having its first graduates in 1990-1991, the department has more than 1000 BSc., 100 MSc., and 20 PhD degree students so far.
There are three sub-tracks in our department; namely Mining Systems Engineering, Mine Mechanization and Technology, and lastly Mineral Processing. Mining Systems Engineering Sub-track studies engineering issues related exploration, excavation, ground support, logistics and mine feasibility. Mining Mechanization and Technology deals with the cutting theories and mining machines. Mineral Processing deals with the ores quality improvement and beneficiation processes.