Operational Foundations of Mining

This course is a part of Foundations of Modern Mining, a 6-course Professional Certificate series from edX.

In this course we will investigate different planning levels, mining methods, downstream beneficiation activities and ancillary services. There will be an emphasis on the mine life-cycle that highlights the opportunities for integration along the value chain.

Through this course you will gain an understanding of the key unit procedures involved in different mining operations as you become familiar with different methods of exploiting an orebody, and the various intermediate products that are sold at different stages along the value chain. We will use a systems perspective that highlights the opportunities for integration along the value chain to meet multi-faceted objectives including profitability, efficiency, safety and sustainability. This will allow for the exploration of how the application of orebody knowledge across the mining life-cycle can have significant impacts on mining and processing operations.

You will be introduced to the relevant processing stages that follow the discovery and mining of mineral deposits, focusing on the various unit operations in the treatment of an orebody from identification through to a marketable mineral product.

This interactive course incorporates videos, expert insights, case studies and discussions to deepen your current understanding of the technical operations of a mining business.

What you'll learn

• Students who complete this course will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of mine planning, mining methods, minerals processing and appraise the key unit operations involved across the value chain.
• Describe a systems perspective that highlights the opportunities for integration along the value chain to meet multi-faceted objectives including profitability, efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
• Discuss the application of orebody knowledge across the mining lifecycle and its significance in mining and processing operations.