Diploma in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology

Programme Description

The curriculum comprises class sessions, tutorials, practicals, fieldwork, surveying, and project work related to the field of specialization. In the first year, students will receive training in basic sciences, computer applications required by the industry, communication skills, fundamentals in geology and four weeks of field geological studies and mapping. The highlights of the second year include professional courses, industrial practical training, and project work. Diploma in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology is established to: • Specially address the shortage of professionally trained middle level manpower in the mining industry in Tanzania. • Increase the opportunities for further related degree programmes. • Improve the number of trained personnel employed in the mineral and mining sector.

Learning Outcomes

• Ensure that minerals, rocks, and gems are extracted from opencast and underground mines, pits, and quarries in a manner that allows maximum profit and involves minimal problems.
• Analyse and solve exploration problems, consider a range of possible approaches to its solution, and determine the most promising approaches.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the practical aspects of exploration and mining and possess an appreciation for the mining sector.
• Qualify for further studies leading to advanced degrees in specialized area of geological sciences.

Programme Structure

Year 1

Semester One

Semester Two

Year 2

Semester One

Semester Two

Special Programme Requirements

Field Practical Training Field Geology and Excursions provide students with an excellent opportunity to integrate the theoretical and field practical aspects to solve the real-world problems. Students are expected apply the real-life implementation of theories taught in class to solve societal problems. This is a 5-week programme conducted towards the end of an academic year after the completion of second semester examinations. This course is conducted in Chimala area – Mbeya Region, where students carry out geological mapping to assigned areas and, in the end, produce a detailed geological map under close supervision of an academic staff. Students also visit pertinent geological sites with special geological features only found in Mbeya Region and within a short distance in order to gain hands-on experience in all works related to the theory and practice of the programme. At the end of this course, a student works and writes a comprehensive report under close guidance and supervision of an academic supervisor from the department. To ensure adequate coverage in terms of depth and breadth of the field training, students are given exposure to a wide variety of geological features and activities pertaining to the Programme. 75 Practical Training Practical Training is an industrial attachment course which provides students with an excellent opportunity to link the theories taught in class. This is an eight -week course conducted towards the end of the academic year, after the completion of second semester University Examinations. Students are allocated to relevant organizations, firms, agencies, mining companies (i.e., small, medium and large mining companies), etc., in order to gain hands-on experience in all works related to the theory and practice of the programme. To complement the supervision provided by the professional training officers, the students are visited by an academic supervisor from the department, at least once. During this period students are expected to gather relevant information and materials (e.g., datasets, software, literature/reports etc.) which will help them to formulate proposal, field data collection, data analysis and report/dissertation writing/. The students are required to submit the dissertation with the following sections: introduction, objectives, methodology, analysis, findings, summary, conclusions, recommendations, references, and appendixes. Finally, students must present their findings in front of the examiners.