Mining Engineering and Management Department

Contact Information

Dr. Lance Roberts
Professor and Department Head
Mining Engineering and Management Department
MI 235B
(605) 394-1973
E-mail: Lance.Roberts@sdsmt.edu

Faculty

Professors Roberts, Tukkaraja, Brickey, McCormick, and Allard.

Adjunct Faculty

Mr. Rick Chancellor.

Mining Engineering Laboratories

Laboratory facilities exist in the department for rock mechanics, ventilation, GPS surveying and computer-aided mine design. Laboratory equipment available for student use includes equipment for rock specimen preparation, uniaxial and triaxial rock strength testing machine, direct shear machine, computerized data acquisition system, ventilation network model, and modern GPS-based surveying equipment.

The computer laboratory consists of a new (2012) lab sponsored by industry leader in mine design software (MAPTEK) with personal computers. Available software packages are routinely used by undergraduate and graduate students for the solution of problems in rock mechanics, geostatistics, management, mineral economics, ventilation, blasting, mapping, and mine design. Contemporary geoscience modeling and mine planning software is used by students for surface and underground mine design.

MAPTEK Lab

The MAPTEK Advanced Mine Design and Global Communications Center is a modern computer design lab that is fully equipped with the world’s most popular Mine Design Software - VULCAN from MAPTEK. This program is the leading design software used by the majority of mining operations worldwide. It enables students to design, review, analyze and perform extremely complex mine design tasks that are commonly performed daily at mining operations.

In addition, the lab is equipped with all of the requisite audio-video equipment to conduct video conference sessions with any organization across the globe. The set-up also allows for easy integration to distance learning modules and participation from industry executives worldwide.

Mines Matters: 3-D modeling Vulcan software donated by Maptek helps students learn advanced technical design aspects of the mining industry. The Maptek Advanced Mine Design Center enhances the faculty’s ability to promote and teach advanced technical aspects of the mining industry, with emphasis on 3D-modeling and design.