The Idaho Geological Survey, the director of which also serves as the dean of the college, is an affiliate program. The college is concerned with all aspects of earth science and technology, and the course and curricular offerings have expanded considerably since the college was founded. Equipment and Facilities Metallurgical Engineering. Students can carry out bench scale tests on ores to crush, grind, screen, and separate mineral values from them using flotation, magnetic separation, leaching, or other techniques.
Students also experience hands-on opportunities to prepare both metallic and ceramic materials.
Bench scale apparatus is available to fabricate these materials from powders, and to observe the microstructures of these and other bulk materials using standard metallographic techniques. Both hot and cold isostatic presses are available for consolidation, and annealing furnaces as well for densification. In addition, pilot scale work is being carried out using emerging plasma technologies to prepare materials. Equipment is also available for mechanical testing and for electrochemical corrosion studies. The mechanical properties of rock are of major importance to mine engineers for designing both surface and underground mines that provide a safe working environment.