Everything is made of materials, so better materials make better products, from bridges to phones to medical devices and everything in between. Metallurgical and Materials Engineers make the stuff that allows other engineers to make their stuff better, so we are needed by every industry, government lab, or research institution, and our graduates have limitless opportunities for fulfilling and impactful careers. We turn raw materials, such as ores or used products in need of recycling, into valuable and sustainable high-performance products that enable the latest technological advancements in energy generation and storage, safer and more efficient cars and trucks, higher speed wireless communication, stronger and lighter aerospace alloys, devices for quantum computing, and many others. Internationally recognized faculty guide our undergraduate and graduate students focused on metals and ceramics. Undergraduates have hands-on opportunities for research experiences using our world-class facilities and wide range of equipment. For example, we can fabricate parts as large as people and grow and measure films one atomic layer at a time; test and shape materials with over 400,000 pounds of force and use supercomputers to predict and understand new materials. We even have a hot shop for learning glassblowing and blacksmithing. If you want to make the world better, it all starts with better materials. 

Mission: Develop engineers and scientists who make a positive impact on the world by providing a fundamentally sound and industrially relevant education and conducting world-class research in metals and ceramics while embracing sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and access.

Vision: To be a world-renowned and diverse Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department recognized for student success, research accomplishments, and alumni achievement and affinity.

For the latest information regarding Hill Hall building access, please visit this page and click on the “Building Access During COVID-19” option:  metallurgy.mines.edu/facilities

Metallurgical and materials engineering plays a role in all manufacturing processes which convert raw materials into useful products adapted to human needs. The primary goal of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering program is to provide students with a fundamental knowledge-base associated with materials-processing, their properties, and their selection and application.

The emphasis in the department is on teaching and research focused toward materials processing operations which encompass: the conversion of mineral and chemical resources into metallic, ceramic or polymeric materials; the synthesis of new materials; refining and processing to produce high performance materials for applications from consumer products to automobiles, aerospace and electronics; the development of mechanical, chemical and physical properties of materials related to their processing and structure; and the selection of materials for specific applications.