Camborne School of Mines

Camborne School of Mines, Scoll Balow Cambron
Motto Laboris Gloria Ludi
Motto in English Work hard play hard
Established 1888
Type Public
Director Frances Wall
Location Penryn, Cornwall, UK
Campus University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus
Patron HM Queen Elizabeth II
Colors Gold, Blue & Silver
Athletics 8 varsity teams
Website www.uec.ac.uk/csm

The Camborne School of Mines (in Cornish, Scoll Balow Cambron), commonly abbreviated to CSM, was founded in 1888. It is now a specialist department of the University of Exeter. Its research and teaching is related to the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment. Its portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree programmes provide an excellent basis for careers, in the UK or overseas, within the Earth resources, civil engineering, environmental and energy sectors. CSM hosts the Cornwall campus of the University of Exeter at Tremough, Cornwall and is part of the School of Engineering, Maths and Physics.

Contents

Reputation

The Camborne School of Mines has an international reputation in Mining, Mineralogy, Mineral economics, Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, and now renewable energy. CSM's international reputation dates back to the 19th century when with new deposits found around the world CSM graduates began to seek employment overseas and by the 20th century, graduates were in most of the world's major mining areas such as Southern Africa, Malaysia, Australia, South America, Mexico, USA and Canada.

Through CSM's teaching, research and the CSM Association's (CSM alumni) network CSM maintains a strong presence in the global mining industry.

Teaching

The University of Exeter's CSM offers the following programmes (as of 2006):

Undergraduate programmes

BSc Applied Geology
BSc Engineering Geology and Geotechnics
BEng Mining Engineering
BSc Renewable Energy
MEng Renewable Energy

Postgraduate Programs

MSc Applied Geotechnics
MSc Environmental Management
MSc Minerals Engineering
MSc in Minerals Engineering, European (EMEC)
MSc Mining Engineering
MSc Mining Geology
MSc Surveying and Land/Environmental Management,

In 2003 CSM joined Federation of European Mineral Programs (FEMP) allowing its students to participate in study in Continental Europe.

Awards

Candidates successfully completing programmes of study in the Camborne School of Mines leading to degrees of the University of Exeter are eligible for additional awards made by the Senate of the University of Exeter on behalf of the Camborne School of Mines Trust. These awards are as follows:

Within the mining profession the ACSM and MCSM are highly regarded awards. They are two of the few associate awards within the mining and other earth-based industries. The ACSM has been awarded to all graduates of CSM with the required grades since 1910, and in 1974 the ACSM was accredited by the Council for National Academic Awards.

Notable Associates include: *Sam E. Jonah (KBE) (ACSM), Chief Executive of Ashanti Goldfields; Lord Eurby D.S.O., M.C. - Mining engineer born 1883.

Scholarships

The Camborne School of Mines Trust, industrial sponsors, and past students and staff help the Camborne School of Mines to offer between 15-20 scholarships each year to new students who register on CSM degree programmes. Selection is based primarily on academic achievement.[1]

Research

CSM is an internationally recognised centre for research related to the formation, discovery, extraction and utilisation of the Earth’s natural resources, and subsequent remediation. The applied nature of much of the research is indicated by significant international industrial collaboration.

Research within CSM is co-ordinated by the three multidisciplinary groups. These draw upon the Department’s research expertise in Mining and Minerals Engineering, Geology, Renewable Energy and Environmental Science and their links with colleagues in the Department of Geography. Each group is led by the full time academic staff, and includes postdoctoral research fellows, experimental officers and postgraduate research students working towards the degrees of MPhil and PhD. Work is funded by the research councils, industry and charitable trusts and is supported within the school by highly qualified technical staff and excellent analytical facilities.

Facilities and services

CSM offers a range of facilities and services to students, academic staff, research partners and individuals and organizations from the business community.

Short Courses and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Including:
  • Renewable Energy Industry Training Modules
  • Quarry Shotfiring / Explosives Supervisor courses (EPIC-validated)

Geochemical and mineralogical analytical laboratories

Camborne School of Mines' new £1.5 million microbeam analytical facility contains an extensive range of sample preparation and analytical facilities including optical microscopes, cathodoluminescence, low-vacuum scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron probe microanalyser (EPMA), QEMSCAN (particle analysis and mineral identification), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRFS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectrometers (AAS), atomic fluorescence spectrometer plus elemental, physical and thermal analysers.

Mining Engineering, Surveying and Geotechnics

Underground and surface testing facilities; Leica surveying equipment, triaxial test rig.

Minerals Engineering and Recycling Technologies Renewable Energy

Camborne School of Mines Museum

The museum is devoted to worldwide geology, but with particular emphasis on mining and mineralisation. The museum holds a highly significant and comprehensive systematic mineral collection, together with suites of minerals and host rocks from important mining areas all over the world. The collection includes fluorescent, gem and ore minerals. A significant part of its collection derives from south west England.

The collection serves as a resource centre for geology teaching throughout Cornwall, and is extensively used by the school’s teaching.

The museum also contains historic artifacts relating to the history of mining and CSM's role within this history, King Edward Mine Museum also complements this collection.

Some of the museums collections are available on the Camborne School of Mines Virtual Museum which is a site dedicated to the geology of Cornwall. Geology students may wish to join The Royal Geological Society of Cornwall based in Penzance who have been promoting the geological importance of the region.

History

Timeline

The Camborne University Question

At the time of the passage of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, Camborne School of Mines was funded as a polytechnic institution although based on a single set of technologies. In principle, CSM was eligible to be considered for university status alongside the other Polytechnics. The question was raised within the putative Higher Education Funding Council HEFCE and within the Council for National Academic Awards whether or not a mono-technic institution could be considered a university. In this, CSM became the cause celebre and the argument was applied to other single-discipline institutions such as teacher training colleges, art colleges, business schools and so on. In the event, CSM merged with Exeter University and the controversy was solved in that instance. Other institutions needed to find other solutions over the next few years.

Principals/Directors of CSM

Social life

The CSM student body is a friendly, fun and close community within the larger student body of the CUC which includes students from both University of Exeter Cornwall Campus and University College Falmouth. The CSM student association is there to organise social events as well as help students with any issues. There are strong ties between students and the staff which creates a good study environment. Sport within the school is strong and there are team sports run under the CSM name in local leagues but are open to any students at Tremough. A key event in the school's sporting calendar is the annual Bottle match against Royal School of Mines which is organised by the student association.

Map showing the location of the Camborne School of Mines within Cornwall.

See also

References

  1. ^ CSM Scholarships

External links