Abstract
<jats:p>Sustainable practice and automation in the field of mining engineering are becoming a fundamental component of educating the future engineers to respond to the challenges facing a changing mining industry. As mining operators are increasingly being pressured to utilize more environmentally sustainable practices and to adopt new automation technologies, the type of education provided to these future engineers has never been more important. This study will explore the integration of sustainable practice and automation technology in the current mining engineering education curriculum. Additionally, this study will assess the current state of mining engineering education through the use of a mixed-method approach (including a survey sent to both academic institutions and industry experts) and identify existing gaps that need to be addressed. Although sustainable development practices have already been incorporated into some mining engineering education programs, only about 40% of those surveyed currently offer specialized courses that deal with automation technology. In addition, 65% of surveyed industry experts believe that automation has the potential to greatly enhance the environmental sustainability of the mining industry. Finally, the study will discuss how mining engineering programs can incorporate sustainability and automation into the curriculum by developing interdisciplinary programs, partnering with industry, and providing students with hands-on training using the latest technologies available. Incorporating all of these components allows educational institutions the ability to provide graduates with the tools needed for leading operations that are at the forefront of sustainable and sophisticated technology within the field of mining. To this end, this paper has recommended further enhancements to the curriculum, improvements to instructional delivery, and increased opportunities to partner with industry to prepare students for the challenges that the future of mining engineering typically presents.</jats:p>