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SOUTH DAKOTA
SCHOOL OF MINES
& TECHNOLOGY
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Welcome
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Metallurgical Engineering is the branch of engineering that
develops and supplies the materials for virtually every other engineering
field. Three-fourths of all chemical elements are metals, so metals play
a vital role in nearly every aspect of modern life. Metallurgical Engineers
transform the earth's mineral resources into finished products by extracting
metals from ores, producing ceramics from metal compounds, and fabricating
composite structures.
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Today's materials are exotic and so are the methods of
producing them. Metallurgy is based upon the principles of chemistry, physics,
and mathematics. These sciences provide an understanding of the methods
of metal production processes and the behavior of materials. In addition
to familiar materials such as steel,
aluminum,
copper, glass, gold, and silver, Metallurgical Engineers produce many exotic
materials such as metals with shape memories, ultrahigh-purity materials
for integrated circuits, materials for surgical implants, ceramics for space
vehicles, and superconductors.
There are three areas of specialization in Metallurgical
Engineering: mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and materials engineering.
Mineral processors concentrate ores and recycle materials so that extractive
metallurgists can produce pure, high-quality metals and nonmetallics for
use by materials engineers who transform these materials into the marvels
of our advanced civilization, ranging from space craft to thin diamond films.
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Advances made by Metallurgical and Material Engineers
usually make possible advances in other engineering fields. This happens
because virtually every engineering field is in constant search of higher-performance
materials.
Metallurgical engineers are not only responsible for the production of materials
but also for the evaluation, of metals, ceramics, and polymer-based composites.
The evaluation of materials includes tests to determine strength, hardness,
toughness, corrosion behavior, and many others. It is the role of the Metallurgical
Engineer to develop processing methods to create materials with specific
and exacting properties for every conceivable application.
The primary source for materials continues to be the earth in forms such
as ores, minerals from sea water, and petroleum. However, recycled materials
are an increasingly important material source for Metallurgical Engineers.
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Metallurgical Engineering is similar to Chemical Engineering
when it comes to the chemical processes for the production of large quantities
of pure materials. However, Metallurgical Engineers generally are not involved
in the production of organic materials whereas Chemical Engineers are less
likely to be involved in primary metal production processes.
Metallurgical Engineers are employed throughout the nation and the world.
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