The Mine Reclamation Certificate Program is designed to provide formalized education in mine reclamation. The program aims to equip students with skills that allow them to work as mine reclamation professionals and regulators on mine reclamation projects. The program is designed for engineers, geologists, and other scientists who find themselves working in mine reclamation without formal training.

Students admitted to this certificate program must take the four required courses (12 credit hours) outline in the curriculum section, and obtain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to earn the certificate.

Curriculum

12 credit hours (four courses) required and must include at least two of the following courses:

MIN ENG 5742 Environmental Aspects of Mining Permitting: the legal environment of reclamation and environmental impact assessment; post-mining land-use selection and mine planning for optimum reclamation of all mines: metal, nonmetal, and coal; unit operations of reclamation: drainage, backfill, soil replacement, revegetation, maintenance, etc. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Spring Semester

ENV ENG 5635 Phytoremediation and Natural Treatment Systems: Science and Design: Students learn the scientific basics of chemical transport in soil and groundwater and learn fundamental plant physiology and processes. Students then learn how these processes are utilized in design of phytoremediation and natural treatment systems, including the most up to date literature and design guidance available. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Spring Semester

GEO ENG 5381 Intermediate Subsurface Hydrology and Contaminant Transport: A study of the physical/chemical properties of rocks and sediments in the subsurface environment. Emphasis is put on waterrock properties such as permeability, capillarity, and mechanical dispersion. Both microscopic and macroscopic approaches are used. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Spring Semester

Select up to two more courses from the following courses:

ENV ENG 5630 Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater and Soil: Course covers current in-situ and ex-situ remediation technologies. Current literature and case studies are utilized to provide the focus for class discussions and projects. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Summer Semester

ENV ENG 5640 Environmental Law and Regulations: This course provides comprehensive coverage of environmental laws and regulations dealing with air, water, wastewater, and other media. The primary focus is permitting, reporting, and
compliance protocols. The course topics include U.S. and international legal systems and judicial processes, liability, enforcement, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act (NPDES) permitting), Safe Drinking Water Act, OSGA, TSCA, RCRA, and CERCLA. Case studies will be emphasized. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Spring Semester

ENV ENG 5642 Sustainability, Population, Energy, Water, and Materials: This course will examine the concepts regarding the continued advancement of humankind while maintaining our ecological niche on earth. Key topics include: population growth, poverty, and impacts of development; energy consumption, sources, storage, conservation and policy; water quality and quantity; materials and building; and policy implications. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Fall Semester

GEO ENG 5235 Environmental Geological Engineering: Introduction to engineering geologic mapping for site selection for solid waste disposal facilities; landfill site selection, design, permitting, construction, operation, and closeout/reclamation. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Fall Semester

GEO ENG 5331/5332 Fundamentals of Groundwater Hydrology: Focus on fundamental analysis and survey of groundwater hydrology with emphasis on practical geo-environmental and subsurface hydrology issues of interest to working professionals.
Topics will include general hydrology, surface and subsurface intercconnection, basic groundwater flow and well test analysis, and a brief intro to contaminant transport. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Fall Semester

MIN ENG 6712 Managing Social and Environmental Risks in Mining (Intro to Responsible Mining): This course is an introduction to responsible mining. It focuses on industry and NGO programs around sustainability and reporting in mining, financial community response, community of interest engagement and participation, and safety and crisis response and management. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Fall Semester

MIN ENG 6735 Sustainability in Mining: Sustainability defined: social, economic and environmental impacts. Mining as sustainable development interventions. Mine planning for sustainability, sustainability assessment and reporting, sustainable mine closure and post-mining land use. Delivery: Main Campus & Online/Fall Semester