The term for a promising profession “Mining” came into being in 1927, along with the B.O.C College of Mining and Engineering but no intake of students was there then. It was in 1954 that the Department of Mining Engineering was legally founded. The then four year course, upon completion, led to the “Bachelor of Science (Mining)” degree.

  1957: the first four students graduated and were conferred on B.Sc. Engg. (Mining)
  1958: the duration of the course was extended from four to five years
  1964: the department was relocated in Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT)
  1965: the degree “B.Sc. Engg. (Mining)” was designated as Bachelor of Engineering “B.E. (Mining)”
  2006: Department of Mining Engineering has totally produced over 680 graduates

The department objectives are : 

(a) To disseminate cutting edge mining technology and expertise throughout Myanmar
(b) To produce efficient and effective mining engineers

The activities of department are :

(a) Prepare Syllabus and lecture notes for A.G.T.I, B.Tech, B.E courses throughout the country
(b) Do research on mining blasting technology
(c) Do research on Environmental engineering and management

Undergraduate Degree

Up to 1997, the department offered a course of five full-term years to accomplish a first-class mining engineering degree B.E (Mining).

        (1)   B.E. (Mining)

This five-year course is deliberately planned to train the candidates to successfully plan and design an environmentally sound, economically viable and technologically practicable mine. The course contents focus on geotechnical investigations, stability analysis, economic analysis, environmental protection, resource management and updated mining technologies. Submission of a thesis is compulsory for the degree.

Number of Students produced: over 680 (Up to 1997)
Maximum Number of Students (future): 30
Plan for Extended Courses (Future): in accordance with the ministry guideline

Post-graduate Degree

With the encouragement of the Government, Department of Mining Engineering has gained a momentum of success in nurturing brilliant mining engineers. A number of candidates have finished M.Phil, M.E. and Ph.D courses. The success is summarized in Table 1. Ph.D courses are still available now.
Table 1 Success in post graduate courses:

 Four Main Research Areas

• Excavation Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Mine Planning and Project Development

1. EXCAVATION ENGINEERING

    1. Study on the Decisive Rock Mass Parameters in the Selection of Rock Excavation Techniques
    2. Equipment Selection for Mines
    3. Drilling and Blasting Design Analysis for Cost-effective Rock Excavation
    4. Excavation Design Analysis for Surface and Underground Mining
    5. Study on Precision Blasting Techniques
    6. Study on the Effects of Blasting on Structure Damage
    7. Evaluation of Materials Handling Systems in Mines
    8. Production Optimization of Load-Haul-Dump Operations in Open-Pit Mines
    9. Interaction Analysis of Excavation Design Processes and Procedures in Tunnelling
 10. Construction-structure-interaction under Static or Dynamic Loads in Tunnelling

Study on Blasting Operation in Local Jade Mine: Optimization of Blasting Design Processes with Regard to Final Results

  

2. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

     1. National Development and Mineral Resources
    2. Solving Comprehensive Myanmar Environmental Issues
    3. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Myanmar Mines
    4. Adoption and Adaptation of Environmental Management Systems for Myanmar's Industries
    5. Integration of Environmental Activities in Myanmar

Study on Dust, Cyanidation and Land Degradation in Myanmar Mines

  

3. GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

    1. Development of Planning and Design Guidelines of Integrated Geotechnical Investigation for Rock Excavation
    2. Upgrading the Analysis Methods of Geotechnical Parameter for Tunnel Design, Surface Mine Design and Underground Mine Design
    3. Study on Laboratory Rock Testing for Rock Excavation and Stability Analysis
    4. Geotechnical Consideration for Designs of Surface and Underground Excavation and Mining
    5. Geotechnical Aspects of Different Main Processes of Rock Excavation in Tunnelling
    6. Analysis, Numerical Modelling and Evaluation for Excavated Rock Mass Stability of Tunnel, Slope and Underground Openings
    7. Dynamic load Analysis for Underground Structures
   8. Development of Earthquake Resistant Design Code: Provision of Probabilistic Earthquake Hazard Maps, Microzonation of Earthquake Hazard in Yangon Area

Core Samples, Laboratory Rock Testing Equipment and Tunnel Stability Analysis	Earthquake Hazard Analysis: Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Maps of Yangon

4. MINE PLANNING AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

     1. Economic Analysis of Myanmar Mineral Resources
     2. Mineral Resource Evaluation and Project Management and Planning of Mines
     3. Ranges of Myanmar Mineral Resources Policies
     4. Integration of Environmental Affairs into Mineral Exploitation
     5. Small Scale Mining

Cooperation with Other Departments in State projects

        (a) Ministry of Transport: excavation of Pon Nyar Railway Tunnel
        (b) Ministry of Industry: quarry design
        (c) Ministry of Mines: mine design

Cooperation with Myanmar Engineering Society (MES): with the objective to offer job-oriented short courses for engineers, the department gives practical training at the MES training center. Moreover, the department has been leading a technical division under the supervision of MES. Frequently, technical papers are read at the MES-sponsored seminar sessions.

Research Work by Ph.D Candidates:      

         1.    Environmental Assessment and Conservation for Industrial Projects
         2.    Performance Analysis of Permanent Support for Tunnel
         3.    Numerical Analysis of Energy Transmission Passed through the Tunnel Lining from an Explosion
         4.    Predicting the Tunnel Behaviour in Swelling Ground
         5.    Stability Analysis in Excavation of Large Underground Openings
         6.    Ventilation Planning by using Computer Based Procedures to Control Underground Mine Climate
         7.    Analysis of Ground Settlement Induced by Tunnel Construction
         8.   Ensuring Sustainable Development in Myanmar Mining Industry by Promoting Small-scale Mining

         Sector: Special Regards to Gold Mining

         9.   Optimization of Mining Projects with Regards to Environmental Management in Myanmar 
      10.    Analysis of Degree of Damage in Subsurface Structures Resulting from Seismic Wave

Research Works by Teaching Staff:

       1.    Analysis of Rock Fragmentation Due to Surface Mine Blasting
       2.    The Importance of Drilling Accuracy for Efficient Blasting Operation
       3.    Microzonation of Earthquake Resistant Design Code in Yangon (Yangon Area)
       4.    Effects of Local Site Response on Ground Motion Parameters in Earthquake Hazard Estimation
       5.    Integration of Environmental Activities in Myanmar
       6.    Critical Parameters in Efficient Bench Blasting Operation
       7.    Enhancement of Load-haul-dump Operating Efficiency in Open-pit Mines
       8.    System Analysis for Loader and Truck Haulage Productivity
       9.    Review on the Current Practices for Minerals Projects Development in Myanmar
    10.     Impediments to Environmental Protection of Myanmar
    11.     Environmental Management for Myanmar Industrial Projects
    12.     Introductory EIA for Myanmar Mines
    13.     Moderation of ISO 14001 for Myanmar Industrial Projects
    14.     Analysis of Slope Stability in Rock Excavation
    15.    Enhancement of Blasting Efficiency for Bench Blasting Operations
    16.    Sustainable Development Strategy for the Mining Industry
    17.    Management of Foundry Wastes