Responsible Mining and Metals Finance
Deepen your understanding of technical and financial assessments of mining and metals projects, key to resourcing the energy transition.
Deepen your understanding of the technical and financial assessment of natural energy and mineral resources
Gain first-hand experience of industry practice
Receive training in financial modelling, financial engineering and risk modelling
Course key facts
Qualification
MSc
Duration
1 year
Start date
September 2026
Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£31,400 Home
£48,900 Overseas
Delivered by
Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
2:1 in Engineering, Physical Sciences or Economics with a substantial Mathematics component
Course overview
Enhance your understanding of the technical and financial assessment of mining projects on this multidisciplinary Master's course, run jointly by Department of Earth Science and Engineering and Imperial College Business School.
Gain a broad understanding of mining geology, resource evaluation, quantitative finance and risk, and the environmental and social aspects key to the mining sector.
Deepen your knowledge and skills associated with the mining finance sectors and their application to a range of businesses and industries.
A fieldtrip includes visits to be both active mines and mining projects to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier parts of the programme. The course culminates in a dissertation in which a resource project will be researched and evaluated.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Analyse the theory of asset pricing and relevant mathematical tools and understand fundamental concepts such as state prices, arbitrage, payoff replication, and risk-neutral pricing.
Gain a critical understanding of important investment and portfolio management techniques used for portfolio management by fund managers, risk managers, pension funds and other financial institutions.
Learn about the growing markets for derivatives contracts, and obtain the necessary skills to value and use derivatives instruments in a purposeful way.
Gain an understanding of geological principles and evaluation techniques for mineral deposits which underpin resource and reserve estimation.
Learn about technical evaluation of mining projects, including mining engineering, minerals processing and extractive metallurgy.
Develop skills required for the evaluation and successful development of projects in the resource sector, including business accounting, cash flow modelling, project management and strategic management.
Explore whole systems and broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations, regarded as determining factors for the responsible extraction of primary resources.
Gain invaluable experience on a field trip to active mining operations and mining projects, seeing how successful mines and mining projects are developed, operated and managed.
While not forming part of the MSc’s formal evaluation, students will be given the opportunity to take optional language and supplementary maths courses.
You will evaluate a resource project by conducting an independent analysis to determine whether it can be technically and financially successful. Your research will involve identifying a project that has not been initiated, but has enough technical and financial information to support your analysis.
You'll need to build a financial plan for this project and write a dissertation explaining the technical and financial findings of your analysis.
Professional accreditation
This course is professionally accredited by The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
Achieving a professionally accredited degree demonstrates to employers that you have achieved an industry-recognised standard of competency. It also brings international recognition of your qualification, which is particularly useful for students preparing for a career abroad.
Our accreditation agreement with The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining is renewed every 5 years, and the current agreement runs between 2023 and 2028.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures and tutorials
- Independent study
- 51% Title 1 goes here
- 49% Title 2 goes here
Teaching and learning methods
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Virtual learning environment
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Dissertations
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Field trips
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Interactive lectures
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Literature-based assignments
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Guest presentations
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Syndicate exercises and group work
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Video-recorded presentations
Balance of assessment
Key
- Examinations
- Excursions
- Dissertation
- 43% Title 1 goes here
- 28% Title 2 goes here
- 28% Title 3 goes here
Assessment methods
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Coursework
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Dissertations
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Syndicate exercises (group work)
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Appraisal sheets from field trips
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 2 closes on Wednesday 7 January 2026
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Round 1
Business School courses only.
Round 2
- Applications open on Monday 29 September 2025
- Applications close on Wednesday 7 January 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 4 March 2026
Round 3
- Applications open on Thursday 8 January 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 11 March 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 6 May 2026
Round 4
- Applications open on Thursday 12 March 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 29 April 2026
- Decision by Thursday 2 July 2026
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
We strive to increase and broaden inclusivity and support everyone, regardless of background, in breaking down any barriers to your application the Department.
If you are interested in this MSc, we strongly encourage you to contact the course administrator Joanna Owen prior to starting your application: j.owens@imperial.ac.uk.
There is no application fee for Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
The application fees for postgraduate courses are:
- £90 for all Master's applications, excluding those to Imperial Business School
- £125 for MSc applications to Imperial Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to Imperial Business School
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
Unless you are from an exempt nationality, you will need an ATAS certificate to obtain your visa and study this course.
Nationals from the following countries are exempt: Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA and EEA members.
Use this information when applying for an ATAS certificate to study this course:
CAH code: CAH10-01-09
Descriptor: Chemical, Process and Energy Engineering
Supervisor name: Professor Stephen Neethling
Get guidance and support for obtaining an ATAS certificate.
Fees and funding
Home fee
2026 entry
£31,400
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Overseas fee
2026 entry
£48,900
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Scholarships
View all scholarshipsHow will studying at Imperial help my career?
Learn the skills required to pursue careers in mining and mineral resource appraisal and finance.
Build relationships with professionals working in mining and metals finance.
There are potential internships available in the mining, oil, and gas sector, as well as investment banking.
Typical career paths include financial services and the mining and metals industries.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 6462
- Email: j.owens@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Professor Stephen Neethling
Visit the Department of Earth Science and Engineering website.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications