Mining Engineering Department to Assist Greenland - Department of Mining Engineering

Photo courtesy of @ulannaqingemann_photography

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST GREENLAND

The Mining Engineering Department is happy to announce that the University of Utah's proposal to the US Department of State was selected for a $1.2M cooperative agreement to assist Greenland with Mine Training.

The team, consisting of a partnership between the University of Utah and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and posessing decades of mining and training experience in the circumpolar north, has come together to assist the Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum (KTI Råstofskolen, Aatsitassalerinermik Ilinniarfik or KTIR) in advancing its training capabilities to address the growing mining sector in Greenland.

GOALS, ACTIVITES & IMPACT

The goals of the projects are;

Advise KTIR on the design and construction of an underground mine training facility (UMTF)
Develop six courses that enhance KTIR's training offerings for the mining sector
Provide training in mine search and rescue
Familiarize KTIR and government stakeholders with major elements of the mining sector

The activities the team will engage in include;

Viewing of plans for an UMTF at KTIR
Advice on funding and operating a UMTF in the circumpolar north
Hands-on experiential learning in two different areas (underground mine construction and mine search and rescue)
Mine visits (Arctic and non-Arctic)
Free Mine Safety and Health Administration classes for KTIR students/faculty
Visits to government agencies (Utah and Alaska)
Participation in mine search and rescue competition
Workshops in Sisimiut and Nuuk for stakeholder input in Greenland, and curriculum development

The activities will have three major impacts. First, It will expand their capacity in terms of facility, expertise and curriculum. Second, world class content and practices will be seeded into KTIR training. Third, the training facilities, curriculum and expertise will be highly relevant to Greenland.

Congratulations to Dr. Rajive Ganguli (PI), Dr. Michael G. Nelson (co-PI) and their team on this award.