Mine and Engineering Surveying

Outline Outline

Mine and engineering surveying is a specialised area within engineering and science. Also known as geomatics engineering or geomatics, the profession has a vital role in resources industry and infrastructure development.

Mine surveyors are responsible for the measurement, representation and management of data associated with a mining operation. Their core responsibilities include the marking out, measurement and maintenance of direction for mine site surface and underground workings. Mine surveyors are also responsible for (under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994) the preparation and updating of all mine surveying plans for open-pit and underground workings.

Engineering surveyors are integral to the construction industry, ensuring the locations of civil engineering works are correctly positioned and oriented. Engineering surveying typically precedes construction associated with roads, bridges, tunnels, buildings, industrial plants and hydraulic engineering.

In this course you will learn the advanced technology and scientific principles and methods of surveying and how to apply these to industry applications, including land development, construction, mining and mapping.

You'll develop skills in marking out, measuring and maintaining direction for mine site surface and underground workings, and how to prepare and update mine site surveying plans. In your engineering surveying units, you'll learn how to ensure civil engineering works are placed in their correct positions and orientations.

You'll learn to access, evaluate and generate surveying, spatial and related information from multiple sources, and gain the expertise to recognise, analyse and resolve surveying challenges through surveying methods and technologies. These include total station theodolites, satellite positioning (GPS/GNSS), laser scanning, photogrammetry (via drone surveying), geographic information systems (GIS), airborne and marine navigation, digital mapping, satellite and airborne remote sensing, and specialised alignment mine and engineering surveying.

The first two years of the course are based at Curtin Perth, and the third year is based at Curtin Kalgoorlie, where you'll have opportunities to engage with real industry practices.

How this course will make you industry ready

Graduates meet the education requirements of Western Australia's Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for certification as an underground or open pit mine surveyor. This major also prepares you with the appropriate practical experience for operational management at the quarry manager level.

What you'll learn

• Apply surveying principles, concepts and methods to mine and engineering surveying tasks and applications
• Think critically and creatively to generate innovative solutions and apply logical and rational processes to analyse surveying problems by recognising and applying technologies to their advantages and limitations when applied to mine and engineering surveying
• Access, evaluate and generate surveying, spatial and related information from multiple sources, communicate in ways appropriate to the discipline of mine and engineering surveying
• Analyse, describe and engage in Australian and international best practice standards in mine and engineering surveying methods and technologies through self-learning skills
• Recognise diverse indigenous knowledge perspectives, cultures, histories as well as apply professional and mine and engineering surveying discipline specific tasks and contexts in relation to indigenous peoples, and cultural capabilities
• Work ethically and professionally, both within a team and independently