Program Overview
The Mining and the Environment program is a distance learning course that prepares students for careers in the mining industry. It covers topics such as environmental impact, waste management, and environmental management systems. The program's flexible start date and no set completion time allows students to progress at their own pace. Upon completion, students earn a degree in Experto Universitario en MINERÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Mining and the Environment program aims to analyze the problems caused by a lack of environmental awareness in mining activity and propose sustainable solutions using existing rules as a basis for environmental policies. Successful completion leads to a degree in Experto Universitario en MINERÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE, awarded by the university where the student enrolls. The program's general objective is to equip students with the basic skills needed to function in the mining sector, including conducting impact studies, managing waste, and implementing environmental management systems. Specific objectives include understanding the mining industry's characteristics and economic influences; acquiring knowledge of mining processes from prospecting to mine closure and land rehabilitation; analyzing environmental impacts and creating quantification matrices; establishing the basis for implementing an Environmental Management System; and understanding mining legislation in specific countries.
Outline:
The Mining and the Environment program has 20 credits and takes 6-9 months to complete, depending on student dedication. It consists of one topic with five chapters, including two appendices and practical case studies. The course covers theoretical, conceptual, and historical principles of mine prospecting, exploration, and exploitation, along with organizational, social, and technological implications. The program aims to provide a comprehensive view of mining and the environment from a sustainability perspective, incorporating multidisciplinary topics. The chapters are: Mining as an activity, industry, and business Prospecting, exploration, and exploitation of deposits Marine mineral resources Environmental impact in mining activity Sanitation and/or remediation techniques of contaminated soil Monitoring and environmental control technologies Closing and restoration of mining operations Mining and the ISO 14001
Teaching:
The program is distance learning, with no set start date; students can register at any time if spaces are available. The program director is Dr. Eduardo García Villena, Director of the Environmental Area at UNINI. The teaching staff and authors include numerous Doctors and Professors from various universities across Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and other countries.
Careers:
Potential career paths after completing the Mining and the Environment program include:
- Technical-advisor in Mining and the Environment
- Mining prospecting
- Work in a laboratory in sample analysis The program's presentation mentions that most raw materials come from the subsoil and that early mining activity led to significant environmental contamination.
