Course content

The course focuses on strategies and political aspects of resource utilisation for minerals; political compromise/ considerations and their implications; relevant regulatory frameworks; associated management systems; alternative strategies; and related issues. The course is designed to be open to new possibilities with regard to the chosen topic of study for the final course report so that candidates’ own ideas may form the central core of the report’s topic where this is appropriate. Some examples of possible report themes might be:

Uses of tailings.

Comparison of Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) with similar systems.

National mineral policies.

Critical raw materials supply.

Focus on a particular resource.

Policy comparisons / gaps / future development needs.

Comparison of specific minerals with other resources - looking at differences in treatment.

Issues surrounding informal artisanal production.

It is important to point out that the above examples are not exclusive - there is wide potential within this course with regard to the scope of the chosen project.

Learning outcome

Competance:

The course will introduce students to strategic and political aspects with regard to extraction, use and recycling of mineral resources within a chosen topic and provide deeper understanding of the more specific mechanisms within this topic. Each student’s chosen topic will be adapted to their own research field.

Course participants will be able to discuss and analyse strategic and political aspects of mineral production and use. The ability to discuss and communicate these concepts in interdisciplinary contexts, thus facilitating cooperation with experts in other scientific fields is also important.

Course participants will be able to place knowledge on their chosen topic within a broader setting and understand its relevance. Participants will be capable of communicating their acquired competence to both specialists and non-specialists.

Skills:

Participants will learn to search, interpret, process and analyse information from various sources, in addition to communicating and presenting their work in relevant forms for both specialists and a broader public.

Skills acquired will be influenced by participants’ choice of project case study, examples include: Fact finding investigation and the ability to critically compare information from different sources; Depth and weighting of ‘search and find’ information and the ability to critically discuss this; Ability to analyse large sets of source material by using bibliometric tools.

Learning methods and activities

Self-study based on initial selected literature and the student’s own in-depth search and study of a specific topic designed as the basis for a course report. Students will write a report or, should they feel their topic of study is well enough suited to their own area of research, it may be possible to submit the report in manuscript form to assist possible publication as a research article.

If a minimum of 3 students choose to take this course, an obligatory mini seminar will also be included. This would allow candidates the opportunity to practice presentation skills, acquire synergy with regard to comments given during joint discussion and provide a chance to compare the level of their own work with that of their course colleagues.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

The course requires admission to the PhD program Engineering, or approval from the person with course responsibility.

Course materials

Selected literature.

Credit reductions