Estonian universities' geology and mining master-level students travelled together with the Geological Survey of Estonia specialists to Finland. They were hosted by the University of Oulu Mining School staff, who showed the raw materials laboratories and talked about state-of-the-art mineral processing techniques. Read further what the students learned from this experience.
At the end of September this year, six master's students from the University of Tartu and Tallinn Technical University had a wonderful opportunity to travel with the Geological Survey of Estonia geologists to Oulu in Finland. They were welcomed by the Oulu Mining School people, who showed them local laboratories and explained all about mineral processing techniques. Students made a brief about their travel for a post on Facebook. As the post (below) is in Estonian the following is a rough translation of their post:
"At the beginning of the semester, we were offered the opportunity to go to the University of Oulu, Finland, together with the Estonian Geological Service's phosphorite research group, to learn how to beneficiate phosphorite from local experts. We grabbed the opportunity and set off for Finland.
At the University of Oulu, we were welcomed by the staff of the Oulu Mining School, who guided us through the week (the university building was so big that without them, we would have been hopelessly lost). During the first three days, many experts in their fields came to give us lectures. At the beginning of those three days, we didn't know much about the beneficiation or metallurgy of the various ores, but by the end, the basic knowledge was completely there. We spent the next two days in the laboratory of the University of Oulu doing practical experiments, during which we enriched Finnish and Estonian mineral resources.
We were received very hospitably, and at every free moment between lectures or experiments, we were offered the Finns' favourite drink, coffee. Together with local students and teachers, we went to a bonfire evening on Kuusisaari, where pancakes and grilled sausage were served, and at the same time, we could play the beach game mölkky. The northern lights were not missed either. While waiting for our flight in Oulu, we decided to pass the time by walking from the university campus through the forest to the city centre. However, there was an empty tennis court along the road with many tennis balls. Within a few hours, we had invented a new ball game that resembled tennis without a racket; we called the game Oulupalli."
"At the beginning of the semester, we were offered the opportunity to go to the University of Oulu, Finland, together with the Estonian Geological Service's phosphorite research group, to learn how to beneficiate phosphorite from local experts. We grabbed the opportunity and set off for Finland.
At the University of Oulu, we were welcomed by the staff of the Oulu Mining School, who guided us through the week (the university building was so big that without them, we would have been hopelessly lost). During the first three days, many experts in their fields came to give us lectures. At the beginning of those three days, we didn't know much about the beneficiation or metallurgy of the various ores, but by the end, the basic knowledge was completely there. We spent the next two days in the laboratory of the University of Oulu doing practical experiments, during which we enriched Finnish and Estonian mineral resources.
We were received very hospitably, and at every free moment between lectures or experiments, we were offered the Finns' favourite drink, coffee. Together with local students and teachers, we went to a bonfire evening on Kuusisaari, where pancakes and grilled sausage were served, and at the same time, we could play the beach game mölkky. The northern lights were not missed either. While waiting for our flight in Oulu, we decided to pass the time by walking from the university campus through the forest to the city centre. However, there was an empty tennis court along the road with many tennis balls. Within a few hours, we had invented a new ball game that resembled tennis without a racket; we called the game Oulupalli."
