The miner typically uses two or three outside engineering or geology consultants a year.

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Sessions for General Presentations in seismology, geology and earthquake engineering are also part on the agenda.

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Meantime, because universities have cut back on courses in earth sciences, mineral geology and mine engineering, there is a severe shortage of workers.

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No doubt, many of those workers will come out of U.S. mining schools, touting degrees in Earth Sciences, Mineral Geology, or Mine Engineering.

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