The Midland Institute of Mining Engineers continues to encourage and support younger members, particularly students and apprentices, and reports of their activities appear here.
**NEW**
The J F Tunnicliffe & C S Littlewood paper competition, which is also a local competition for the IOM3 Young Persons Lecture Competition, will be held on Wednesday 24 February 2010 at the University of Leeds. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Younger members representative, Ms Catherine Johnson.
The International Forum of Young Researchers
Topical Issues of Subsoil Use
Report by David Benjamin
On April 22 - 24th 2009 the international forum-competition of young researchers “Topical Issues of Subsoil Use” was held in St. Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University) named after G.V. Plekhanov in accordance with the order № 350 of Federal agency for education dated 01.04.2009.
The International forum-competition of young researchers “Topical Issues of Subsoil Use” is a scientific event aimed at:
• Developing a system of training highly-qualified specialists for mineral raw materials, fuel and energy complexes;
•Selection of the most talented young researchers for postgraduate studies and their support;
• Establishment and development of scientific cooperation concerning problems of mineral reserves development between young researchers of technical universities;
• Carrying out a competition-Olympiad to choose the best national team, and the best university in the world in the field of geology, mining and metallurgy.
Moreover, the conference is an exceptional chance for students to meet peers from different countries and universities, share their research ideas and expertise with them, present their work and obtain valuable feedback not only from students, but also from faculty members. In addition, the conference is a great networking opportunity for establishing future research directions and international collaboration between students as well as between universities.
Over 400 young researchers from 21 countries took part in the work of the forum: Countries which were represented include Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, France, Czech Republic and others.
259 technical papers were presented in the following working sections;
• Geology
• Topical issues in prospecting and development of oil and gas deposits
• Topical issues in mining of ore and non-metallic minerals
• Geodesy, geomechanics and underground construction
• Geotechnical engineering, energy and automation
• Metallurgy
• Economics and management
• Ecology and environmental protection
• Nanotechnologies. Internet-technologies
About 54 diplomas were given awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the nominations “The best student” and “The best postgraduate student and young researcher” in each of the 9 working sections. Moreover, 12 scientific grants that allow starting a postgraduate study in the Mining Institute as well as 27 diplomas in the nomination “The best university” in every section of the forum were awarded. All participants were also awarded with participation “diplomas”. Representing the Midland Institute of Mining Engineers (The MIMinE), David Benjamin, final year MEng (Mining and Mineral Engineering) student at the University of Leeds was awarded with a 1st place diploma, “The best postgraduate student and young researcher” under the “Geotechnical engineering, energy and automation” working section.
This also earned the University of Leeds “The best University” nominations in the same working group. David gave a technical paper presentation on a study conducted to assess the feasibility of implementing a newly developed liberation calculator used as a tool for estimating the extent of liberation at key points within a diamond processing the plant at Debswana’s Orapa mine; a project he worked on in summer 2008 on placement. The competition committee made a note of the high level of qualification of the young researchers participating in the forum-competition. Most of the presented papers are innovation-oriented.
Outside conference rooms and auditoriums, the participants of the International forum also had a wonderful opportunity to familiarize themselves with the educational process organization and research developments at the institute, to visit research-educational centres and specialized laboratories, as well as the Mining Museum and the Church of Blessed Makariy the Egyptian. The excursion “St. Petersburg at Night” was arranged for foreign and non-resident guests.
Acknowledgements:
I wish to take this opportunity to thank The Midland Institute of Mining Engineers for sponsoring me on this trip. This has been indeed an opportunity of a life time. I would honestly have been happy with just having been part of it even if I did not win because presenting to judges through interpreters who found it a bit tough to translate technical terms would have made one think that they do not stand a good chance. Being recognised as the best postgraduate/young researcher (even though I made it clear during the questions-answer session that I am an undergraduate) was in my opinion unbelievable. Not only was this my first time to be part of a conference of such calibre but it was my first time in Russia and had an experience I’ll live to forever relish. I made friends some of whom we are still in touch to this day. I have to extend heart-felt gratitude to Dr D. Dixon-Hardy for putting in a good fight in organising the trip and making sure I end up in St. Petersburg especially the visa application which was a bit of a nightmare.
Once again, thank you very much!
Read David's Paper here
The Younger Members who attended the St Petersburg Conference