Metallurgical Engineering (MET)

University Directory
University Courses

MET 601 BIOMATERIALS

MET 220 MINERAL PROCESSING AND RESOURCE RECOVERY
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. An introductory course in mineral processing highlighting unit operations involved including comminution, sizing, froth flotation, gravity separation, electrostatic separation, magnetic separation and flocculation. Other topics discussed include remediation of contaminant effluents and the unit operations associated with recycling of post-consumer materials using mineral processing techniques. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 220.

MET 231 STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS LAB
(0-1) 1 credit. Prerequisites: Concurrent registration in MET 232, or permission of instructor. A laboratory involving quantitative metallography, heat treating practice, mechanical property measurements and metallurgical design of the thermal mechanical treatment of metals.

MET 232 PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: MATH 123 and PHYS 111. A course in engineering materials and their applications. The different technological uses of metals, ceramics, plastics, and composite materials are discussed and explained in terms of their basic atomic structure, and mechanical, thermal, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. Material selection in engineering design is emphasized.

MET 310 AQUEOUS EXTRACTION, CONCENTRATION, AND RECYCLING
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 320 or CHE 321, or CHEM 342. Scientific and engineering principles involved in the winning of metals from ores and scrap. Areas covered include the unit operations of comminution, sizing, solid/liquid separations, leaching, ion exchange, solvent extraction, and surface phenomena as related to flocculation, froth floatation, and electrostatic separation. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 310.

MET 310L AQUEOUS EXTRACTION, CONCENTRATION, AND RECYCLING LAB
(0-1) 1 credit. Prerequisites: Concurrent registration in MET 310 or permission of instructor. Laboratory experiments in design of processing equipment and cost estimation, zeta potential, surface tension, leaching kinetics, electrowinning, and solvent extraction. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 310L.

MET 320 METALLURGICAL THERMODYNAMICS
(4-0) 4 credits. Prerequisites: PHYS 211, CHEM 112, MATH 125. The principles of chemical thermodynamics and their application to metallurgical engineering processes. Topics covered include the zeroth, first and second laws of thermodynamics, the fundamental equations of state for open and closed systems, criterion of equilibrium, heat capacities, reaction equilibrium constants and their dependence upon temperature and pressure, chemical potential, standard and reference states, stability diagrams, and solution thermodynamics. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 320.

MET 321/321L HIGH TEMPERATURE EXTRACTION, CONCENTRATION, AND RECYCLING
(3-1) 4 credits. Prerequisite: MET 320. Thermodynamic principles involved in the winning of metals. Areas covered include calcination, oxidation, reduction processes, smelting, high -temperature refining, electrorefining, slags, and slag-metal interactions. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 321/321L.

MET 330 PHYSICS OF METALS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: MET 232. The fundamental principles of physical metallurgy with emphasis on the mathematical description of mechanisms that control the structure of materials. Topics covered are structure of metals, x-ray diffraction, elementary theory of metals, dislocations, slip phenomena, grain boundaries, vacancies, annealing, and solid solutions.

MET 330L PHYSICS OF METALS LAB
(0-1) 1 credit. Prerequisites: MET 232 and MET 231. Practical laboratory exercises that involve (1) x-ray diffraction methods, (2) transmission electron microscopy as it applies to dislocations in materials, (3) recovery, recrystallization and grain growth as it applies to annealing of materials, (4) optional and scanning electron microscopy as it applies to the microstructure of materials, and (5) thermomechanical processing of metals with limited regions of solid solubility.

MET 332 THERMOMECHANICAL TREATMENT
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 232 and concurrent registration in MET 330, and MET 320 or ME 211. The relationship between the structure and properties of materials. Topics covered are the iron-carbon system, hardenability of iron base alloys, stainless steels, cast irons, aluminum, copper and magnesium, rubber and copper polymers. Concepts of heat treatment, age hardening, dispersion hardening, and hot and cold working correlated with modification of the structure and physical properties of materials.

MET 351 ENGINEERING DESIGN I
(2-0) 2 credits. Prerequisites: MET 220 and MET 232. Introduction to engineering design. Compare the scientific method with the engineering design method. Define the concept of need as it pertains to the design process. Develop skills associated with the use of modern and classic sources of information. In addition, material selection processes, interaction of materials, and materials processing topics are presented. Focus on the design process, and the design method. The development of interdisciplinary teams is a high priority.

MET 352 ENGINEERING DESIGN II
(1-0) 1 credit. Prerequisite: MET 351. A continuation of the design sequence.

MET 421/521 REFRACTORIES AND CERAMICS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 232 and MET 320 or graduate standing. This fundamental course on the properties of refractory and ceramic materials covers the production of ceramic and refractory materials including concentration, purification, and forming. Refractory selection, practice, and service in high-temperature thermochemical processes and environments; thermal anal electrical properties; the relationship among structure, bonding imperfections, and properties; and failure diagnosis and avoidance is included. Students enrolled in MET 521 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 421.

MET 422 TRANSPORT PHENOMENA
(4-0) 4 credits. Prerequisite: MATH 321 and concurrent enrollment in MET 320. The principles of momentum, heat and mass transfer and their application to metallurgical engineering. Topics covered include thermal conductivity, mass diffusion, mechanisms of transport, Fourier’s and Fick’s Laws, shell balance, boundary conditions, equations of change, unsteady-state transport, mass and heat distributions in turbulent flow, and interphase transport.

MET 426/526 STEELMAKING
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 320 or graduate standing. Chemical reactions and heat and mass transport phenomena associated with the production of steel. Unit operations studied include the blast furnace, the basic oxygen furnace, the electric arc furnace, and selected direct reduction processes. Students enrolled in MET 526 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 426.

MET 430 WELDING ENGINEERING AND DESIGN OF WELDED STRUCTURES
(3-0)3 credits. Introduces the state-of-art in welding processes and technology. Discusses fundamentals of the fabrication welded structures by introducing basics of solidification in welds, metallurgy of welds, fatigue and fracture in welds, joint design and weld defects and inspection. The technology focus is friction stir and laser welding.

MET 433 PROCESS CONTROL
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: MATH 321 and senior standing. Analysis and design of process control systems for industrial processes, including control tuning and design of multi-variable control scheme. This course is cross-listed with CHE 433.

MET 440/540 MECHANICAL METALLURGY
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 232 and concurrent or completion of ME 216 or EM 321. A course concerned with responses of metals to loads. Areas covered include elastic and plastic deformation under different force systems, dislocation theory, fracture, internal friction, fatigue, creep, residual stresses, and general fundamentals of metal working. Students enrolled in MET 540 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 440.

MET 440L/540L MECHANICAL METALLURGY LABORATORY
(0-1) 1 credit. Prerequisites: MET 232, and concurrent or completion of ME 216 or EM 321. A course designed to expose the student to practical experience on the mechanical behavior of metals and alloys including deformation processing and failure analysis.

MET 443 COMPOSITE MATERIALS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: ME 316 or concurrent enrollment in MET 440. The course will cover heterogeneous material systems; basic design concepts and preparation; types of composite materials; advances in filaments, fibers and matrices; physical and mechanical properties; failure modes; thermal and dynamic effects; and applications to construction, transportation and communication. This course is cross-listed with ME 443.

MET 454/554 AQUEOUS MATERIALS PROCESSING
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 320 or CHE 321 or CHEM 342. An advanced level course in aqueous materials processing. It covers the physical chemistry of aqueous solutions, ionic processes of solution, complex ions and coordinate compounds, reaction kinetics, high temperature and pressure aqueous chemistry electrolysis and crystallization. Students enrolled in MET 554 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 454.

MET 464 ENGINEERING DESIGN III
(0-2) 2 credits. Prerequisite: MET 352. A continuation of the design sequence.

MET 465 ENGINEERING DESIGN IV
(1-0) 1 credit. Prerequisite: MET 451. A continuation of the design sequence, which includes a final technical design report and appropriate display material for the School of Mines Design Fair.

MET 491 INDEPENDENT STUDY
1 to 3 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Includes directed study, problems, readings, directed readings, special problems and special projects. Students complete individualized plans of study which include significant one-on-one student-teacher involvement. The faculty member and students negotiate the details of the study plans. Enrollments are usually 10 or fewer students. Meeting depending upon the requirements of the topic.

MET 492 TOPICS
1 to 3 credits. Includes current topics, advanced topics and special topics. A course devoted to a particular issue in a specified field. Course content is not wholly included in the regular curriculum. Guest artists or experts may serve as instructors. Enrollments are usually 10 or fewer students with significant one-on-one student/teacher involvement.

MET 614 ADVANCED METALLURGICAL SIMULATION TECHNIQUES
(3-0) 3 credits. An advanced course in the simulation of metallurgical processes. Topics covered include numerical solution of partial differential equations, optimization techniques and numerical integration and interpolation. Although the course is intended primarily for metallurgy majors, the coverage is sufficiently broad that non-metallurgy majors are encouraged to enroll.

MET 624 ADVANCED CHEMICAL METALLURGY
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 320, MET 321 and MET 422. Application of metallurgical thermodynamics and transport phenomena to extractive metallurgical processes.

MET 625 STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS IN METALS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Study of the scientific fundamentals leading to the improvement of the mechanical properties of metallic materials. The treatment includes strengthening by strain hardening, grain and twin boundaries, solute atoms, precipitates, dispersed particles and fibers, martensitic transformations, texturing, point defects, and thermomechanical treatments. Enhancement of fracture, fatigue, and creep behavior is also treated.

MET 632 THEORY OF DISLOCATIONS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: MET 440 or permission of instructor. A study of defect theory in solids and their role in governing material behavior. Topics covered include the concept, properties, and mutual interaction of dislocations, point defects, stacking faults, dislocation dynamics (motion and multiplication). Application of defect theory to the phenomena of slip, plastic yielding, thermally-activated plastic flow, microstrain, internal friction, strain hardening, and mechanical twinning.

MET 636 THERMODYNAMICS OF SOLIDS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisite: MET 320 or permission of instructor. The principles of chemical thermodynamics applied to solids encountered in metallurgical engineering. Topics covered include the effect of temperature and pressure upon phase equilibria, surface free energy and its relationship to nucleation and crystal structure, statistical estimation of thermodynamic functions, calculation of thermodynamic functions from phase diagrams and the compositional variation of the activity of components comprising non-stoichiometric compounds.

MET 638 SOLID STATE PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 332, MET 440 or permission of instructor. Advanced study of phase transformations in condensed systems. Topics covered include kinetic theory of nucleation, rate and morphology of precipitate growth, significance of crystallographic factors, role of lattice defects on transformation, martensitic phase transformation, and relation between structure and properties.

MET 676 ADHESION AND SURFACE ENGINEERING IN POLYMER COMPOSITES
(1-0) 1 credit. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. The study of the scientific fundamentals leading to adhesion in polymer composites and engineering of surface phenomena to improve polymer composite properties. This course is cross-listed with CHE 676.

MET 791 INDEPENDENT STUDY
1 to 3 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Directed independent study of a topic or field of special interest. This may involve readings, research, laboratory or fieldwork, and preparation of papers, as agreed to in advance, by student and instructor.

MET 792 TOPICS
1 to 3 credits. Lecture course or seminar on a topic or field of special interest, as determined by the instructor.

MET 220L MINERAL PROCESSING AND RESOURCE RECOVERY LABORATORY
(0-1) credit. An introductory laboratory course in mineral processing highlighting relevant unit operations. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 220L.

MET 444/544 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMATERIALS
(3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 232, EM 321. The first portion of the course will provide an introduction to the major classes of materials used in medical devices. Topics covered will include material properties, material processing, testing, corrosion, biocompatibility, and tissue responses. The second portion of the course will cover specific biomaterial applications such as dental, orthopedic, cardiovascular, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. The topics of implant cleanliness and sterilization methods will also be reviewed. Students enrolled in MET 544 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 444. MET 445/545 OXIDATION AND CORROSION OF METALS (3-0) 3 credits. Prerequisites: MET 320 or CHE 222 or ME 211 or graduate standing. Initially, the thermodynamics of electrochemical processes are covered; use of the Nernst equation and Pourbaix diagram is presented in this material. Fundamentals of electrode kinetics are then discussed with special emphasis on the derivation of the Butler-Volmer equation and application of the Evan’s diagram. Following presentation of these fundamental concepts, phenomena observed in corrosion and oxidation such as uniform attack, pitting, stress corrosion cracking, and corrosion fatigue are discussed. Finally, selection of materials for site specific applications is covered. Students enrolled in MET 545 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in MET 445. This course is cross-listed with ENVE 445/545 and CHE 445/545.

MET 450/550 FORENSIC ENGINEERING

Contact: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
http://www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/directory/courses/met