Rennie Kaunda
Colorado School or Mines
Rennie B. Kaunda, PhD, PE
Associate Professor
Department of Mining Engineering
Contact
Brown Hall 221
1610 Illinois St
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO 80401
Phone: 303-273-3772
Email: rkaunda@mines.edu
Welcome to the Home Page of our Mining Geotechnics Research Group, headed by Dr. Rennie B. Kaunda, Associate Professor at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). We have a passion for making contributions to sustainable mining and “green mines” of the future through advanced technologies and applied science at the nexus of rock, soil and water. Mines and underground excavations of the future will focus on the optimization of energy and water resources. The future will see innovative rock excavation and ground control methods which streamline their operations and processes as they strive to remain economical and good stewards of the environment, while pursuing scarcer resources in deeper, harsher and low-grade environments.
Prof. Kaunda joined CSM in 2014, after spending several years in the mining industry. He earned his Ph.D. from Western Michigan University in Geotechnics, and B.S. and M.S. degrees from The University of Arizona in the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering. In 1999, after his bachelor’s degree in mining engineering, he first worked in a deep underground mine in Zambia, Central Africa where he gained considerable insights and appreciation of ground control challenges confronting deep underground excavations. Prof. Kaunda then pursued Master of Science Studies in Arizona specializing in Rock Mechanics in 2000. Concurrent to undertaking his PhD studies, Prof. Kaunda worked for the State of Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality.
After his PhD in collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Prof. Kaunda spent seven years in industry first working for Golder Associates and SRK Consulting respectively. During that time Prof. Kaunda worked on more than 50 global engineering projects in Africa, Asia, South America and North America. He has performed or coordinated geotechnical engineering services related to open pit and underground mines, dams, foundations and landslides. During that time, he also earned his PE License (Geotechnical Engineering) in the state of Colorado.
He is dedicated to teaching and mentoring the next generation of engineers and scientists who will shape sustainable mining practices and responsible stewardship of the planet. Prof. Kaunda’s broad research interests encompass both fundamental and applied soil/rock mechanics in mining and underground excavations. Please visit the research page to learn more about our diverse research interests, and multi-disciplinary research collaboration opportunities.
