Designing a copper mineral processing plant in virtual reality: A new tool for mining engineering education

In 2021, Queen’s University partnered with BBA Engineering Consultants to build a full-scale, virtual reality copper sulphide mineral processing plant. This project, financially support by e-Campus Ontario, aims to prepare Ontario post-secondary institutions to increase their training capacity in mineral processing to meet projected labour demands. The tool includes an environment where engineering students can work in real-time to diagnose problems in a high-fidelity and safe manner using virtual reality to sharpen real-life problem solving and design skills, so students are workplace-ready for employment in the mining industry. This paper examines the design process beginning with conceptual design, through detailed design and pilot testing. Various aspects of the project are discussed, including the agile project management approach, the importance of considering pedagogical objectives early in the project, the value of partnering with industry, and plans for further development of the tool.