They are among the best German teams at the 47th Intercollegiate International Mining Games (IMG) in Cornwall, UK. From 19 to 23 March 2025, the eleven students represented TUBAF at King Edward Mine, competing against 43 teams from all over the world in various traditional mining disciplines.
"The preparation time was very tight. But thanks to the quick and uncomplicated support of various mining companies, we were able to achieve a respectable mid-table finish despite this being the first time a TUBAF team had taken part," says Tobias Hörmann, captain of the Freiberg men's team.
The Mining Games are all about old mining techniques that were developed in the German mining regions of the Erzgebirge and Harz Mountains, among others. The 260 students compete in disciplines such as Trackstand (track construction), Survey (surveying with a simple theodolite), Hand Steel (drilling with hammer and chisel), Jackleg Drilling (drilling with pneumatic drill hammer and air support) and Mucking (mining with hunt). And networking with students from other international universities: "Establishing contacts and networking with alumni and companies from all over the world offers a wide range of options for international internships and career opportunities," says Marlene Mühlbach, captain of the TUBAF women's team.
Supported by the mining association "Hülfe des Herrn Alte Silberfundgrube" e.V., the participants prepared for the competition on the site of the "Wismut-Stolln" visitor mine in Biensdorf and on a private site in Freiberg. The Jackleg Drilling training was organised in cooperation with TS BAU JENA GmbH.
The teams would like to thank the Chair of Underground Mining and Specialised Processes and all the sponsors and supporters who made it possible to take part in the competition.