MEDIA, Pa. — This summer, one Penn State Brandywine student struck gold with his internship.
Literally.
Rising junior Samuel Dikeumunna spent 11 weeks at the Turquoise Ridge/Twin Creeks gold mine operated by Nevada Gold Mines near Golconda, Nevada. His daily routine included taking an industrial freight elevator 2,000 to 2,500 feet underground then riding a tractor to his work site, located among more than 10 miles of tunnels.
Once there, he would inspect drilling sites and assess whether extracted material was waste or high-grade ore that contained gold. Rock type, mineralization and fracture were all elements of the evaluation.
“After our assessment, we would tell the mining engineers if they should keep drilling there or stop and move to a different location,” he said.
Dikeumunna, who will transition to University Park this fall to complete his degree in geosciences, said the internship was a great educational experience.
“I learned so much,” he said. “One of the huge things was safety. Working underground, any little thing can affect you and other employees. Risk management is also important, and planning your day and your schedule.”