WVU mining engineering students win senior design competition for the thirteenth time

Mining engineering students Dawson Apple, Connor Baker, Megan Sibley and Brian Welsh.

Teams of West Virginia University mining engineering students received first and second placement in the Senior Student Design Award contest for their mine design plans.  

Story by Olivia Howard, GA Multimedia Specialist
Photos supplied

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Dawson Apple, Connor Baker, Megan Sibley, and Brian Welsh, 2023 mining engineering graduates from the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, received top placement in the Senior Student Design Award contest by the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America and the Pittsburgh Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.  

Projects are evaluated by a panel of industry professionals based on knowledge of engineering fundamentals, mining problem analysis, decision-making processes within constraints, and communication skills. 

Statler students complete a two-semester capstone experience as part of the mining engineering curriculum. The project ties together a student's undergraduate education and contributes to their future success as engineers and managers in the minerals industry. 

The winning report on Bacon Run Mine was completed as part of the Capstone Mine Design Course taught by lecturer supervisor, Dan Alexander. It is the seventh time in the last ten years that a team from WVU has claimed the top placement.  

The team’s objective was to determine whether the Bacon Run Mine project was worth investing $350 million to build over 7 years, operate over a 26-year mine life, and reclaim the facility by selling 5 million tons of coal each year. 

The team recommended funding additional engineering because their analysis resulted in a 30% rate of return and over $300 million net present value. 

Challenges of the study included learning how to use the Carlson Geologic and Mine Planning Software to gain a 3D visualization of the mineral or solid fuel deposit by making 2D maps and managing tasks and deadlines as a team. 

“We couldn’t have done it without the years of great education at WVU and experience obtained through internships made possible through the department,” said team member Brian Welsh. “We really appreciate the hard work that all the mentors put forward to help us reach our goals.” 

WVU has earned this recognition more than all other mining engineering programs combined since the competition began in 1993 — 13 first places, six 2nd places, and two 3rd places in the last 21 years. 

The second-place team, Ahmed Al Maashari, Haitham Al Yaaqoubi, Kyle Jenness, and Rylan Nemesh, of the Noble Dino Mining Group, was also from WVU. They previously earned first place in the 2023 Carlson Software Competition. 

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