Background

This project focused on developing a VR/AR platform for advanced mining engineering education. The purpose is to provide engineering students with an interactive experience where they can interact with scaled-designed mining concepts, operations, equipment, and maintenance/safety protocols. For mining engineering students, understanding how raw ores are extracted, crushed, separated, and refined requires exposure to large-scale industrial machinery such as crushers, mills, and flotation cells. This equipment is often located in remote and hazardous environments. Safety concerns and limited access to operational sites make it difficult for students to engage consistently with these systems during their studies.  

Objective

The key challenge addressed by this project is the limited opportunity for mining engineering students to interact with mining equipment in real-world settings. This project creates an interactive VR learning environment where students can explore a virtual mineral processing facility, engage directly with machinery, and understand their roles within the processing workflow. By providing a safe and immersive alternative, the tool enhances both learning outcomes and understanding of the mineral processing systems.

The Team

Principal Investigator:

• Tonia Welch, Assistant Professor, Department of Mining Engineering
• Gonzalo Pizarro, Subject Matter Expert
• Pablo Quezada Cortés, Subject Matter Expert

Student Team:

• Kai Zhang, Project Lead, Developer (May 2025-August 2025)
• James Edralin, Developer (May 2025-August 2025)
• Chenyue Yang, UI/UX Designer (May 2025-August 2025)
• Nikita Prabhu, UI/UX Designer (May 2025-August 2025)