The Mining and Metallurgist Engineer is the professional who applies scientific and technical knowledge for the optimal use of mineral resources for the benefit of society.

Admission profile

The student interested in entering the Bachelor's Degree in Mining and Metallurgic Engineering in the Engineering Faculty of UNAM must be graduated from the National Preparatory School, College of Sciences and Humanities or other programs of Higher Education. It is desirable that you have studied the area of Physical-Mathematical Sciences or the set of subjects related to these fields of knowledge in the College of Sciences and Humanities or other levels of study of Higher Education. The student must have knowledge of Mathematics in Algebra, Analytical Geometry and Differential and Integral Calculus of functions of one variable; he must also have a good knowledge of Physics, especially about topics related to Classical Mechanics, as well as general knowledge of Chemistry, Geology and Computing. He also needs to have knowledge of English, at least a level of understanding of texts. Regarding skills, it is important that you have a willingness to work in teams, the ability to analyze, synthetize and adapt to new situations, as well as a creative spirit.

In addition, the applicant must have:

• Constancy and tenacity in the activities undertaken.
• Committed and disciplined disposition towards work.
• Critical and systematic attitude in his/her reasoning.
• Ability to communicate and interact with people of different backgrounds.
• Good health, endurance and adaptability to isolated environments.

Graduate profile
General

The graduates of the Faculty of Engineering must possess: capacities for innovation, potential to contribute to the creation of technologies and entrepreneurial attitude, with social sensitivity and professional ethics, and with potential and vocation to become a factor of change.

Specific

At the end of his professional training, the graduate in Mining and Metallurgic Engineering will have acquired the following knowledge, skills and attitudes:

1. The graduate of the Mining and Metallurgical Engineering degree will be trained with a wealth of technical knowledge, both theoretical and practical, that constitute his/her training for the exercise of the profession.

2. The graduate of Mining and Metallurgic Engineering will be trained in those administrative and interpersonal skills that allow him to interact with society, his peers and the environment in general, to assist him in achieving his objectives and service to society, as a professional engineer.

3. The graduate of the Mining and Metallurgical Engineering degree will be strongly sensitized towards sustainable development in all its facets; not only related to the environment, but also to the efficient and rational use of resources, economic profitability of projects, continuous improvement of processes, preservation of human integrity, even beyond safety and hygiene, that is, in the respect of their rights and equality. In other words, a sustainable development in the social, ecological and economic senses.

4. The graduate of the Mining and Metallurgic Engineering will have specific knowledge in state-of-the-art technologies that allow him to understand, self-educate and adapt rapidly to the changes inherent in the practice of the profession.

5. The graduate of the Mining and Metallurgic Engineering degree will be very clear about "his/her commitment to the development of the country, not to give way to the fantasy of the immediate and the inconsequential, and never get used to the pain of others, the Injustice, or lose the capacity of astonishment and indignation" (DGCS - UNAM).

Professional profile

The Mining and Metallurgist Engineer is the professional that integrates the knowledge of the physical-mathematical sciences, chemistry and geology, with the engineering sciences and applied engineering in the areas of mine exploitation, mineral profit, environmental management and auxiliary operations related to such processes, to develop their professional activity in the design or improvement of mining-metallurgical facilities, project management, operations planning as well as operation and administration of resources for optimum use of those resources, for the benefit of society. Its work can be exercised both in the public and the private sector, occupying positions ranging from supervision to management. You can also venture to an entrepreneur level, as a consultant or supplier to the mining industry, and to carry out their activities, he/she is strongly sensitized towards sustainable development in all its facets, social, ecological and economic.

The mining and metallurgist engineer can work in both the public and private sectors, ranging from supervision to management.

Among the public agencies in which he/she can collaborate, the Secretariats of Economy, of Energy, of Social Development; the Mining Promotion Trust and the Mexican Geological Service, mainly stand out.

He/she also works in consulting firms, private mining companies and industry suppliers.

The teaching activity can be carried out in higher education centers and the research activity, in research institutes, government institutions and private research centers.

The labor market is related to the activity of the mining-metallurgical industry, which in turn depends on the supply-demand relationship of the mineral products, at national and international levels. However, Mexico has been, is and will continue to be a country whose mineral resources guarantee the continuity of the activity. In addition to the above, the demand and dependence of natural resources shows a constant increase associated directly with the growth of the world population.

Mining in our country is an activity that has been carried out over the centuries and, at an international level, Mexico is considered to have a high mining potential and a wide variety of minerals, this mainly signifies that its long-term exploitation is viable. Some indicators of this are presented below (CGM - SE, 2013):

• It ranks first in the production of silver worldwide.
• It is situated mainly among the 10 main producers of 16 different minerals and metals: gold, lead, zinc, copper, bismuth, fluorite, celestite, wollastonite, cadmium, diatomite, molybdenum, barite, graphite, salt, gypsum and manganese.
• It is the first investment destination in mining exploration in Latin America and the fourth in the world according to the report published in Mexico Mining Review in 2013 (Guajardo V., 2013).
• An investment of close to eight billion dollars is estimated for 2013, according to the Mexican Mining Chamber.

Likewise, the mining-metallurgical sector (CGM - SE, 2013):

• Contributes with 4.9% of the national Gross Domestic Product.
• In May 2013, it generated 337,598 direct jobs and more than 1.6 million indirect jobs, according to the IMSS report.
• Mexico represents great advantages for the mining operation. In 2012, it was ranked fifth in the world as the best destination to invest in mining projects.

As a measure to strengthen the students' work experience, the school carries out fieldwork, visits to the mining sector and professional stays of one month in the mining-metallurgical units. Considering that field practices are one of the main teaching and learning strategies and that mining operations are not necessarily close to Mexico City, the Faculty of Engineering has a solid transportation infrastructure with a wide range of Vans, experienced operators, University insurance policy, as well as a University Regulation of Practices and a specific one for the Faculty. The Division of Earth Science Engineering programs and manages about 95 field practices / year, of which approximately 26 are for mining districts. In addition, 80 professional stays are managed each year with a duration of one month for students of Mining and Metallurgic Engineering.

In addition, there are Laboratories of Analytical Chemistry, Extractive Metallurgy for the preparation and concentration of minerals, laboratories of Mineralogy, Petrology and Mineral Deposits as well as the Laboratory of Design of Exploitation of Mines with current programs that contribute to the modeling of mineral deposit and the design of a new underground and open pit mine.

Also, attendance and participation are encouraged at conferences organized by the Division of Earth Science Engineering and by other areas of the Faculty. In this type of events, the aim is to bring the students closer to the industry representatives in the application of knowledge and development of new technologies, from mineral extraction to metallurgy, directly linking the industrial sector with the academic field, not only in the transmission of updated knowledge, but also in the opportunity to offer scholarships, social service and thesis development.

Also, there are companies that come year after year to the Faculty of Engineering to select students who wish to join the industrial sector. Therefore, students are continuously encouraged to participate in activities with these companies.

Share