Virginia Tech® home

Research

The Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering is one of the largest minerals-related programs in North America, enjoying a strong international reputation for its academic, research, and public service programs. We equip our undergraduate and graduate students to meet the global challenges critical to the economies and communities of the future.

Centers, Laboratories, and Facilities

Housed within a nationally ranked College of Engineering, the department is home to two acclaimed research centers:

Department Laboratories

  • Drone Lab
  • Electrochemistry Laboratory 
  • Geomechanics Observation & Imaging
  • Materials Characterization Laboratory
  • Mine Ventilation Laboratory 
  • Mining Surveying Laboratory 
  • Process Development Laboratory
  • Process Instrumentation and Control Laboratory 
  • Rock Mechanics Laboratory 
  • Rock Fragmentation Laboratory 
  • Subsurface Environmental Engineering Laboratory
  • Surface Analysis Laboratory 
  • Underground Fires and Explosions Laboratory

Off-Campus Laboratory Facilities

Mining and Minerals Engineering
Plantation Road Research Facility
518-778 Plantation Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060

Current Efforts

The Department is engaged in a wide range of research efforts including sustainable mineral and energy resource development, occupational health and safety, mine ventilation and mine fire modeling, optimizing separation processes, coalbed methane and shale gas recovery, and advanced instrumentation and monitoring methods for underground mines