igio] Technical Education of a Mining Engineer. 65 



TECHNICAL EDUCATION OF A MINING ENGINEER. 

 By William Frecheville, 

 Past President, Institution of Mining and Metallurgy. 



{Read 2nd November, 19 10) 



When asked by your President to speak to you, I rather wished to 

 avoid doing so, as I did not think that, in my present hurried trip, I 

 would be able to do justice to any subject. However, he wished me to 

 speak to you, and, since he kindly let me choose my own theme, I have 

 selected the rather broad one, "The Technical Education of a Mining 

 Engineer," which, however, I shall treat from a rather narrow aspect. 

 I will speak from the point of view of what I should like my boy to be 

 taught if he should elect to follow the profession of a mining engineer. 



In the first place, up to the age of eighteen I should favour a broad 

 training, no specialization, but a good, all-round education, including 

 mathematics and science, and also the classics and languages. A good 

 education in one's own language and a capability to use it thoroughly 

 should be sought after. Next to English language I should consider the 

 French of highest importance, for, no matter where one goes, we find 

 French used quite extensively by officials, and in connection with mining 

 its use is quite important. The language occupying third place in the 

 consideration of the mining engineer is undoubtedly Spanish, the lan- 

 guage spoken in Mexico, and the great mining countries in South America. 



Having completed this preliminary education, a student should be 

 entered into one of the large schools of mines. I should advise a four- 

 year course. Some years ago the Royal School of Mines had but a three- 

 year course, but at present it has a four. Four years is short enough 

 time into which to crowd the foundation work for this profession. The 

 first two years the various underlying sciences should constitute the 

 course, as, for instance chemistry, geology, mineralogy, physics. The 

 last two years would be well spent upon mechanical engineering, metal- 

 lurgy and kindred subjects perhaps a little more relative to the practical 

 after life. I should advise that not too many subjects be studied at 

 the same time. The best arrangement would be, possibly, to take two 

 allied subjects along together, as chemistry and physics. I thoroughly 

 believe, from my own experience, that this is the best procedure. I should 



