The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-08-08
Idaho School of Mines
Announcements 1918-l9l9

of Idaho. situated as ii is in one or
the premier mining districts oil the
Union, has appropriately maintained
courses In the technology of the min
eral industries, and men trained In
these courses have gone forth to rem
der valuable service in the develop
ment of the states great mineral
wealth. In order further to strength
en- this work the commissioner ana
board of education, acting upon the
recommendation of the president OF
the university, announced in August,
1917 the creation of school or COL
lege of mines as an administrative
unit of the university. The. field OF
the school of mines is thus indicated:
within this school will be included
the work in mining proper, in metal
lurgy, and in geology; and 1t shall in
clude the exploitation of the non
metalliefrous minerals Except road
making materially as well as that Of
the precious and useful metals"
In compliance with this instruction
the school of mines offers courses and
eurricula leading to the degrees Of
bachelor of science in geology, mining
and metallurgy. Graduate work lead
ing to the degree of master OF science
In these respective branches Is also
offered.
Scope Of the Mining Profession.
From the viewpoint of the individ-
ual, mining is likely to be regarded as
the business of making money out OF
minerals. From the broader view
point of industrial economies, mining
is the art of adapting minerals to
commercial use, and while we usually
associate the production of the preci-
Gus and semi-precious metals, at least
with the idea of private gain, it is well
to recognize that mining must be con-
tinued whether the individual gains oil
loses. II mining Is not pursued fol
personal profit, then it will have to be
pursued for public necessity. Note
the early occupation by Germany of the
coal and iron fields of northern France
fierce fight now waging for their pos
session.
The mining geologist the mining
engineer and the metallurgist are to-
day among the indispensables in wal
and in peace alike.
The Scientific Prospector.
To the mining geologist belongs thu
work of searching for new mineral de
posts and Of finding the extensions o
known bodies of ore or other usefu
portions of the earths crust TIL
geologist, engaged in mining, is tn
scientific prototype of the old rule-of
thumb prospector--to whom be HON
age paid.
The Versatile Mining Engineer.
To the mining engineer belongs tn
duty of exploring and exploiting ex
listing bodies of ore and mineral. II
links together the mining geologis
who finds the ore with the metallur
gist who treats It, The mining engin
eer plays a hard role. He must be
good bit Of civil engineer. consider
able of a mechanical and not littl
ogist, chemist. and often not a littl
Of metallurgst. 1t is rapidly com
ing to be recognized, too, that eco
Monies is as vital to the mining engi
neer as is science or engineering.
The Modern Alchemist.
After the geologist has found tn
ore for the mining engineer and tn
miner has brought it ION top" the
comes the metallurgist, whose bust
ness 1t Is to extract the metals iron
their ores and to adapt them to tn
use of the artisan and manufacturer.
With teaching tank and precipitatin
box. with roasting furnace, smeltin
furnace, converter and refining fur
cation process he transforms crude
dull, dirty ore into bright. shining, in
dispensable metal. If the mineral b
non metallic, then usually the reduc
ton process is simpler, or. as in tn
case of coal, is omitted almost entire
ly
So rapidly is progress in the arts o
mining and ore treatment being mad
that in one case a process which wa
practically scoffed at five years ago,
today treating over 100000 tons
year. This is flotation concentration
A dozen technically trained men ar
employed today in the mining indus
try where one was needed Is year
ago.
To supply this demand and thus t
serve the great mining industry o
the state Is the prime function of tn
Idaho school of mines. Embracing a
II does the three cognate lines of min
ing geology-by the aid of which tn
ore Is found; of mining proper--b
the aid of which the ore is brought t
the surface; and of metallurgy--b
the aid of which the metal is takel
out of the ore; the school of mines |
well fitted to give to the young maj
contemplating any phase of the min
ing profession q most thorough foun
dalton in the essentials of his business
Situation.
NIo,oo,, ;. e;tnota1 tbn baort :,