Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering

Program Description

Because metallurgical engineers are needed all over the world, graduates of our program experience a higher job placement percentage and larger starting salaries than they would in nearly any other undergraduate program. Our program has world-renowned faculty in their respective fields whose teaching expertise supports a creative learning environment. Undergraduate research positions are also available to help prepare students for their future careers.

Brief Overview of Metallurgical Engineering

Metallurgical Engineering involves the study, design, implementation, and improvement of processes that transform rocks and minerals into metal and mineral products that make our life better.

Metallurgical engineering students take courses in:

• particle separation technology, which focuses on particle separation, processing, and recycling, and includes particle characterization, comminution, size separation, flotation, coal preparation, remediation of nuclear materials, automatic control and process engineering of particles including metal powders, energy-related minerals, pigments, and ceramics;
• chemical metallurgy, which focuses on metal removal, processing, and recycling into a purified metal and includes heterogeneous reaction kinetics, transport phenomena, computer modeling, leaching, solution purification, ion exchange, solvent extraction, precipitation, roasting, reduction, smelting, ironmaking, and steelmaking;
• and physical metallurgy, which focuses on metal casting, forming, joining, and metal property evaluation and optimization and includes phase transformations, powder metallurgy, metallography, functionally graded materials, composites, magnetic materials, thin-film processing, fatigue, positron annihilation, rapid solidification, metal failure analysis, and corrosion.

Emphases

• Biomedical Devices And Sensors
• Chemical Processing
• Energy Conversion & Storage
• Mineral Particle Processing
• Nuclear
• Physical Metallurgy

Mission Statement

The central theme of the program is the study of all aspects of metallic materials, from their initial recovery and production through their development, manufacture, and use. The primary academic goals of the program include undergraduate and graduate education as well as research training of undergraduate and graduate students. The program strives to produce graduates with the necessary breadth of technical skills in extraction, process, and plant design, and development, characterization, and manufacture of all metallic materials and components, that will make them strong competitors in the job market created by the mining, metallurgical, materials, manufacturing, and electronics industries. The program offers exceptional opportunities for graduate students to undertake research in a wide range of fields at a level that extends the frontiers of knowledge.

Career Opportunities

Metallurgical Engineers play a key role in the nation’s well-being because of the importance of metals and minerals in modern society.

The broad use of metals and minerals in our society leads to a wide array of job opportunities.

Our graduates work for companies such as Lockheed-Martin, BHP Steel, Rio Tinto, Nucor Steel, Aker Kvaerner, Freeport McMoRan, Chevron, GSC Foundries, Westinghouse, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Boart Longyear, Barrick, 1M Flash Technologies, Williams International, Newmont Gold, IBM, National Semiconductor, MEMC Electronics, Fluor Daniel, Samsung, Parker Aerospace, Johnson Matthey, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

The average starting salary for students graduating with a bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering is approximately $60,000/yr. Job placement for metallurgical engineers is typically near 100%.

Tackling the world's grand challenges.

Today we face major global challenges, climate change, natural resource use, environmental degradation and remediation, energy development and sustainability. Earth scientists and engineers are at the forefront of addressing these complex problems as they work to understand the origin, transformation, and responsible use of our own planet, including its geology, atmosphere, and bodies of water—and the relationships between them.

This unique college bridges the interface between the earth sciences and fields of engineering offering a wide variety of exciting research and educational experiences with twenty-three accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in earth sciences, geology, geophysics, geological engineering, mining engineering, metallurgical engineering, materials science and engineering, earth resource management, and atmospheric sciences.

About Our College

The College of Mines and Earth Sciences’ location in a mineral- and energy-rich geographical area provides a study and research environment that extends far beyond campus boundaries. Because of Utah’s mineral resources, the college is pivotal in developing a region increasingly vital to the nation’s mining and energy future.

The college consists of four academic departments that offer six majors and four baccalaureate and graduate degrees. All faculty have doctorates, at least one-third have significant industrial experience, and many retain ties to industry. In addition to teaching, faculty engage in a wide variety of research activities. Graduate students and some undergraduates also participate in research.

The College of Mines and Earth Sciences occupies the Frederick A. Sutton Building, the William C. Browning Building, Mineral Processing Lab (Building 58), Hedco Building (Building 57), Grinding Laboratory, and Mining Systems Research Laboratory (Building 59), and the Intermountain Network Scientific Computation Center.

Mission Statement

• To educate and prepare professional earth scientists, geological engineers and earth science educators, meteorologists, and atmospheric scientists, physical and extractive metallurgists, mineral separation experts, and mining engineers.
• To engage in scholarly research activities in geology, geophysics, geological engineering, meteorology, physical and extractive metallurgy, mineral separation, and mining engineering.
• To disseminate newly acquired knowledge through timely publication of original research by faculty and students in all of the above fields.
• To educate the University community and the public about the composition and structure of Earth, processes that shape it, and its history and future.
• To provide professional service by providing knowledge about natural resources, methods of natural resource extraction, safety in industrial activities, metals extraction and modification, geologic hazards, the environment, and a sustainable Earth.

Value Statement

We value:

• excellence in teaching, student engagement, and citizenship, and
• impactful scholarly research that informs policy and advances our understanding of the earth and its resources in order to improve our environmental and economic security.

The College strives to be a campus leader in safety, continuous assessment, diversity and inclusivity, collaboration and collegiality.

Stakeholder's Commitment

• The College educates and prepares professional earth scientists, atmospheric scientists, geologists, geological engineers, mining engineers, metallurgical engineers, mineral separation experts, physical and extractive metallurgists, and earth science educators. We engage in scholarly research activities in geology, geophysics, geological engineering, hydrology, atmospheric sciences, oceanic processes, physical and extractive metallurgy, mineral separation, mining engineering, geo-resource management, and safety.
• We disseminate newly acquired knowledge through the timely publication of original research by faculty and students in all of the above fields. We seek to educate the University community and the public about the composition and structure of Earth, processes that shape it, and its history and future.
• We deliver professional service by providing knowledge about natural resources, methods of natural resource extraction, safety in industrial activities, metals extraction and modification, geologic hazards, and the environment processes.