VSB - Technical University of Ostrava

Masters in Mineral Economics

1st Semester

• Acquisition of Mineral Deposits
• Advanced Applications in MS Excel
• Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
• Management in Economic Practice I
• Special Topics in Mathematics
• Technology of Mining Processes

2nd Semester

• Applications of Mineral Commodity Forecasting
• Management in Economic Practice II
• Metalliferous and Nonmetalliferous Deposits
• Modern Industrial Technology
• Raw Materials in Industry
• Secondary Raw Materials and Minerals Treatment and Its Acquisition Processes

3rd Semester

• Investing and Financing in the Raw Materials Industry
• Removing Impacts of Mining Activity and Reclamation
• Smart Logistics
• Valuation of Mineral Deposits

4th Semester

• Seminar to Diploma Thesis
• Trading in Raw Materials
• Virtual and Augmented Reality

Study aims

The study aims to prepare experts for the positions of specialists and managers of middle and top management levels not only in companies that deal with the search and exploration of deposits, mining, processing and trading of mineral raw materials but also in public administration. To achieve the study objective, the Economics of Raw Materials is a combined study program. The study program is divided into two areas, namely area 29 - Extraction and processing of mineral resources (80%) and 33 - Earth Sciences (20%).

Graduate's knowledge

• The principles and techniques of searching and exploring mineral deposits.
• Classification and characteristics of ore and non-ore deposits.
• Principles of evaluating mineral deposits.
• Principles of calculating reserves of mineral resources.
• Application of raw materials in individual industries.
• Technology and organization of mining and treatment of mineral raw materials.
• Classification and characteristics of the processes of acquisition, extraction and use of mineral raw materials.
• Principles of valuation of deposits of mineral resources.
• Ways of levelling mining activity and reclamation.
• Principles of trading with mineral commodities.
• Principles of mineral commodity forecasting.
• Principles of modern industrial technologies.
• Principles of managing a mining company in the long term.
• Principles of project management in the conditions of mining enterprises.
• Principles of risk management and crisis management.
• Environmental management systems.
• Principles of circular economy.

Graduate's skills

• Understanding of basic geological and surveying documentation.
• Risk assessment of the mining company and individual projects.
• Formulation of the project proposal and its elaboration into a project plan.
• Assess the project proposal from a technical and economic point of view.
• Apply forecasting methods on commodity markets.
• Apply international methods to determine the size of reserves at a given deposit.
• Determine the price of the commodity.
• Comprehensive analysis of the internal and external environment of the mining company.
• Apply environmental management systems in the conditions of a mining enterprise.
• Use advanced applications in MS Excel to solve technical and economic tasks.
• Apply modern techniques and approaches in managerial practice
• Conducting a discussion and defending one's opinions and positions.
• Creation of presentations on a professional topic
• Apply augmented reality in the presentation

Graduate's general competence

The graduate can identify a problem and choose the procedure for solving it. He can present and defend his opinions and chosen solution procedures. The graduate is capable of management work. He can study foreign language professional texts, especially in English, and he can communicate in English. The graduate is ready for further education in the field.

Hard skills

• Project management
• IT skills/knowledge: MS Office, (Easy archive advantage)
• Knowledge in the field of production technologies
• Knowledge of economic analyses
• Knowledge in the field of waste management
• Knowledge of organization and management of production activities (mine, quarry)
• Knowledge of mining law
• Knowledge of raw materials and their use
• Knowledge of process improvement methods
• Orientation in business economics
• Knowledge of mining technology and processing of minerals
• Cost reduction methods
• Knowledge of proposals for methods of smoothing out mining activities (remediation, reclamation)
• Financial Mathematics
• Knowledge of management

Graduate's employment

Graduates can find their professional application mainly in the management functions of enterprises belonging to the mineral-raw materials complex. Graduates can also find employment in state and economic administration bodies from local to central bodies, research organizations and the educational system. Specifically, the following types of positions are involved: industrial engineer, head of mining and processing operations, surface mining production preparation technician, surface mining investment implementation technician, director of a small organization, project manager, process consultant, business process designer, team leader, manager, asset manager, product specialist.

Professions

• Business economist
• Project manager
• Process Specialist
• Advisor in economics and business management
• Business Manager
• Investment advisor
• Manager
• Regional manager
• Manager in mining and geology
• Scientific, research and development workers at universities
• Project manager
• Specialist in science, research and development