D EPARTMENT OF G EOLOGY AND M INERAL R ESOURCES E NGINEERING

KEY METRICS

No. of Professors 9

No. of Associate Professors 7

No. of Professor II 6

No. of Emeritus Professors

No. of Doctoral students: current 13 No. of PhD students graduated 2007-2009 8 No. of MSc Students graduated 2007-2009 77 No. of Postdoctoral Research Fellows 3 No. of Non-tenured Researchers

No. of Technical/Admin. Staff members 6

Research Groups GRADE

1. Engineering Geology & Rock Mechanics 1-2 2. Mineral Production & HSE 1-2

3. Geology 1-2

The Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering is part of the Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology. For the purpose of this evaluation the scientific staff were divided into three groups, based largely on cognate disciplines and teaching

collaborations: Engineering Geology & Rock Mechanics, Mineral Production & HSE and Geology. All of these research groups have sub-critical mass and there does not appear to be

a coherent research strategy or strong research leadership at either group or Departmental level. Their research is highly applied and mostly centred around individual PhD projects.

The Department has a very strong educational focus and some members of staff clearly have very high teaching loads which limits their potential for research. Since 2007 6 senior professors have retired, only 4 of which have been replaced. There has only been a limited amount of funding to support PhD students and a declining number of Norwegian and

European applicants due to competition from industry. Most of the PhD projects are based on collaboration with industry. Increasing undergraduate student numbers have placed a strain on departmental resources; this increase does not appear to have been supported by increased funding from the University.

Following the 1998 review of Earth Sciences efforts were made to increase the focus on mineral resources (particularly quartz), to develop collaboration in advanced laboratory techniques with the Department of Material Science and Engineering, to enhance

collaboration with the Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics and, in 2004, to establish a Gemini-centre in Underground Technology in collaboration with the Department of Civil & Transport Engineering and SINTEF Rock and Soil Engineering.

4.5.2.1 Engineering Geology & Rock Mechanics

The group currently consists of 3 Professors, 2 Associate Professors, 2 Professors II, 0 Post-doctoral fellows and 5 PhD students. 3 PhD students and 38 Masters students have graduated since 2007.

Their research activities encompass engineering geology, rock and soil mechanics, hydrogeology and Quaternary geology.

ASSESSMENT& GRADING

The group has good links with Norwegian industry and with SINTEF via the Gemini centre and 2 Professor II positions. They are also a partner in the CoEInternational Centre for Geohazardshosted by NGI. They have a long tradition in applied research but lack critical mass in each of the areas of research in which they are involved.

Laboratory facilities need significant investment and more technical staff are required.

Publication rates are slightly below average and in low profile journals and conference proceedings; citation rates are very low. This is, in part, a consequence of the highly applied focus of their research.

OVERALLGRADE:1-2 RECOMMENDATIONS

The group needs to take a hard look at their research strategy for the next 5 to 10 years in the context of their research strengths, whilst also considering the range of expertise needed to support their teaching portfolio. Their research strategy should take optimum advantage of their role in the CoE and the Gemini centre. Their research activities seem to be spread too thinly and to need much more focus. An external advisory board with representatives from industry might be helpful in developing a new strategy.

4.5.2.2 Mineral Production & HSE (Health, Safety and Environment)

The group currently consists of 1 Professor, 3 Associate Professors, 2 Professors II, 2 Post-doctoral fellows and 4 PhD students. 3 PhD students and 10 Masters students have graduated since 2007.

The main focus of their research is on problems related to mineral extraction and mineral processing, including associated environmental issues. They have unique (in Norway) laboratory facilities for conducting industrial-scale experiments for mineral dressing.

ASSESSMENT& GRADING

Currently the research activities of the group lack scientific focus and an obvious agenda.

Much of their work in rock crushing and mineral separation may be considered more in the context of experimental testing rather than research.

Publication rates are very low and in low profile journals with low citations. This is, in part, a consequence of the highly applied focus of their research.

OVERALLGRADE:1-2 RECOMMENDATIONS

The group needs to develop a much better focused research strategy for the next 5 to 10 years, reflecting their current strengths, opportunities for hiring new academic staff following retirements and the requirements of the undergraduate and Masters teaching programmes.

There are potentially important opportunities for research funding from the mining industry reflecting the worldwide renewed interest in economic minerals (e.g. via the SINTEF Mineral 21 project in which they are playing an active role). They need to consider carefully to what extent they will get involved in conducting research into the processes of ore deposit formation; this should be done in collaboration with the Geology group and with NGU. An external advisory board with representatives from industry might be helpful in developing a new strategy.

4.5.2.3 Geology

The group currently consists of 5 Professors, 2 Associate Professors, 2 Professors II, 1 Postdoctoral fellow and 4 PhD students. 2 PhD students and 29 Masters students have graduated since 2007.

The research interests of this group are extremely diverse; these include mineral deposits, petrology/geochemistry, petroleum geology, Arctic geology and stratigraphy, and resource evaluation.

ASSESSMENT& GRADING

This group lacks critical mass in all of its research areas and there does not appear to be a coherent research strategy. Academic appointments seem to have been made more on the basis of teaching needs.

They appear to have excellent analytical facilities, including access to SEM and microprobe facilities in the Department of Material Science and Engineering. However they lack

expertise in some of the more advanced SEM techniques to utilise these fully. Publication rates are very low and mostly in not particularly high profile journals; citations are below average.

OVERALLGRADE:1-2 RECOMMENDATIONS

In the area of mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry it would seem sensible to develop a greater strategic focus on ore geology and mineral deposits to align with their existing strengths in mineral production and new possibilities for funding from industry. There is an important need for greater integration and research collaboration with the Applied

Geophysics group in the Department of Petroleum Technology and Applied Geophysics.

There are considerable opportunities for joint research in the area of onshore and offshore regional geology, structural geology, basin analysis and reservoir characterisation which could be aligned with both research and teaching programmes. Contingent upon future retirements, and teaching needs, consideration should be given either to establishing joint positions between the two departments or to reduce the emphasis on petroleum geology.