Message from the Secretary General
The Society of Mining Professors (SOMP) / Societät der Bergbaukunde (SDB) was established in 1990 during a special inaugural meeting hosted by the Montanuniversität in Leoben, Austria. The Society is considered the natural successor of the historic Societät der Bergbaukunde, formed in the early 18th century and recognized as the world's first international scientific society.
Since its inception, the Society functioned primarily as a European entity of senior academics in the mining engineering discipline. Major accomplishments in education, research, joint programs and public education can be found in this publication. By 2003, after almost 14 years of operation, Society membership was increased to 140 members representing 60 mining schools in 36 countries.
At the 14th Annual General Meeting of the Society, in Milos, Greece, 2003, a decision was made to examine the role of the Society in global minerals education, to reassess its vision and membership guidelines and to develop the future direction of the organization. A special Planning Subcommittee developed a plan of action to allow the Society to transform and position itself as the premier global voice of the academic minerals disciplines and to lead the effort of restructuring minerals education. These issues were presented and discussed at the 2004 Annual General Meeting in Freiberg, Germany and the final constitutional and governance changes to accomplish these objectives were approved at the Annual General Meeting in Ankara, 2005.
The new vision calls for reconstituting the Society as a vibrant global society, representing the majority of minerals academics and making a significant contribution to the future of the minerals disciplines. The main goal of the Society should be to guarantee the scientific, technical, academic and professional knowledge required to ensure a sustainable supply of minerals for mankind.
More specifically, the objectives of the Society include to:- Ensure that university-based education at the highest level, in the disciplines concerned with the provision of mineral resources, continues to be available.
- Ensure that advancement, through research, of the scientific and engineering knowledge and processes in the areas of relevance to the provision of mineral products continues.
- Establish a network of academics involved in achieving the above goals.
- Enhance the image of the minerals-producing industries, promote development of educational courses within these disciplines and foster pride in the disciplines.
- Establish and maintain ongoing contacts with the global mineral industry.
- Promote co-operation in educational and research programs and identify co-operative research opportunities.
The Mineral Resources Engineering journal is the official journal of the Society of Mining Professors / Societät der Bergbaukunde. All members of the Society with their membership fee receive a hard copy, as well as electronic access, to the journal. The MRE journal publishes papers on advances pertaining to all aspects of mining science and mining engineering, with the aim of introducing and implementing new and improved technologies.
I invite you to browse this website and learn more about the Society and its mission, programs, governance, structure and global focus.
Professor Michael Karmis
Secretary General
Stevinweg 1 - 2628 CN Delft
P.O. Box 5048 - 2600 GA Delft
The Netherlands
Phone:+31(15)278 5001
E-mail:info@mineprofs.org
Web:www.mineprofs.org
Direct Contact:
Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering, Mail Code: 0239
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Phone:+1 540-231-5273
Fax:+1 540-231-4078
Mobile:+1 540-239-7057
E-mail: mkarmis@vt.edu