DISCIPLINES

Careers in the Natural Resource Industry
Minerals, Mining, Materials and Metallurgy

The minerals industry provides exciting career opportunities across a wide variety of disciplines and skills, including geoscientists, geological, mining, mineral processing, metallurgical, environmental, civil and chemical engineers, to financial, communications and advanced systems experts.

Today’s mining industry is high-tech. Companies strive towards ever-rising productivity levels, total safety, zero-impact environmental performance and sustainable development. The manless mine of the future is a vision already in the sights of many of today’s engineers and company executives, with mining equipment operated remotely from the surface, or even smart equipment that requires no operator.

Space technology, including satellite imagery, GPS systems, remote sensing, robotics and communications, plays an increasingly important part in the development of the minerals industry. Meanwhile, mining technology has an increasing role in the development of space exploration. The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum has an alliance with the Canadian Space Agency to work in association. Mining asteroids is already in our sights.

Students who are likely to succeed in minerals-related disciplines will have some or all of the following skills and interests: curiosity about nature and the physical sciences, chemical and physical processes; creative and critical thinking; quantitative and communications skills; the ability to work as individuals as well as part of a team; mathematical skills; and though not always necessary, an interest in travel to remote areas of the world is definitely an asset.

Many universities and technical colleges in Canada offer degree programs in the variety of disciplines leading to a career in the minerals industries. Consult the Education section under the Links listing on the CIM website to find a list.

Other resources / Publications

Explore Careers in GeoScience
Canadian GeoScience Council
www.science.uwaterloo.ca/earth/geoscience/careers.html

Opportunities for a Career in Mining & Metallurgy
The Mining and Metallurgical Society of America
9 Escalle Lane
Larkspur, CA 94939
Tel: (415) 924-7441
Fax: (415) 924-7463

Materials / Metallurgical Engineering: An Exciting Career Field for the Future
Administrative Officer
The Metallurgical Society of CIM
3400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Suite 1210
Montreal, Quebec H3Z 3B8
Tel: (514) 939-2710, Ext.
Fax: (514) 939-2714
E-mail: gjazzar@cim.org