The University of Queensland's Department of Mining, Minerals and Materials Engineering is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year by looking to the future.
Department head and 50th anniversary committee chair Professor Don McKee said since its foundation, the Department had grown into the number one combined mining, minerals and materials school in Australia and one of the leading schools internationally.
"The combined strengths within UQ are unrivalled with Australia and overseas," he said. "We're not resting on our laurels and we believe the best is still to come.
"Recently, Premier Peter Beattie announced his government intends to contribute $10 million to a $20 million sustainable mining project, subject to the necessary support of corporations.
"The project involves setting up a ?one-stop-shop' for the global mining industry, drawing on the University's world class expertise in earth science, mining and minerals education and research, and involving disciplines ranging from mineral resource assessment to final products, and from safety and land rehabilitation to wider social issues."
Dr McKee said an Australian Institute for Sustainable Mining would be established at The University of Queensland's St Lucia campus, providing a clearing house for information and knowledge and maximising UQ's minerals research knowledge.
"This year we also launched a flexible delivery site learning program with Thiess, a most exciting and innovative development aimed a producing a new type of professional graduate.
"We call it the undergraduate site learning partnership. It's a first in Australia for the mining discipline, and we believe it is the way of the future for industry and higher education, allowing organisations to share resources and mutual learning opportunities.
"A key benefit for UQ is that it will initiate cultural change in engineering education though exposure to contemporary and future issues, at the industry coal face."
UQ was also a leading member of a consortium of Australian universities which together would develop and share education modules in mining and minerals engineering.
Dr McKee said mining had always been a significant factor and mainstay for Queensland's economy.
"The first UQ course in mining engineering was approved in 1910, only one year after the inauguration of the University," he said.
"However, it was August 1949 before Senate resolved that a full degree course in Mining be established at the University. Frank White was appointed Professor of Mining Engineering in February 1950, marking the establishment of the Department." Subsequent Departmental heads were Professor Ray Whitmore, Professor David Rowlands, Associate Professor Ian Smith, Professor Alban Lynch, Associate Professor Pat Kelly, Professor Barry Brady, and currently Professor McKee.
During its history, the Department has produced more than 1500 degree graduates, including 1200 Bachelors degrees, and 300 Masters and PhD graduates.
"The Department has always had a commitment to research, and we produced some of the earliest PhDs of this University," Professor McKee said.
"Our research focus has spawned a number of major research centres, such as the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre and its commercial offshoot JKTech. The Centre is located at the University Experimental Mine, the only experimental mining site so close to a city University campus anywhere in the world."
Professor McKee said for the first 20 years, mining, minerals and materials studies at UQ centred on the Department. The formation of the JKMRC in 1970 heralded an approach which would involve both Centres and Departments. Over the past 10 years, the Department's role had changed as more Centres had developed. MMM Engineering was now a critical part of the total UQ mining, minerals and materials effort within the Sir James Foots Institute of Mineral Resources.
"The key to the future is effective collaboration between the Department and Centres within the Foots Institute. The University is looking to establish a Materials Institute which we see as critical for the future of materials education and research."
Dr McKee said other likely future developments were a pyrometallurgy research centre, more student exchanges, and further development of the Indooroopilly mine site for activities by groups including the Centre for Mining Technology and Equipment and the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre.
To mark the anniversary, the Department has produced an historical collection of stories, anecdotes and factual information.
In August, former staff and students toured the University Mine and Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, before attending a barbecue lunch, inspecting Departmental facilities at St Lucia, and attending at dinner at Sheraton Brisbane Hotel. The Departmental anniversary celebrations were sponsored by three companies, Comalco Ltd, MIM Holdings Ltd and Anglo Coal Australia Pty Ltd.
Media: Further information, Professor Don McKee, telephone 07 /3365 4059/3365 3750.
