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Rock Mass Engineering and Mining Machinery Systems Lab
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The lab researches how to safely extract underground resources and make use of underground space.
AboutAbout the lab
Turning the potential of the underground into power for the future
The Rock Mass Engineering and Mining Machinery Systems Lab researches technologies for recovering underground solid resources such as copper, iron, gold, and coal.
The lab studies methods for excavating rock mass efficiently, and safe designs that keep the surrounding rock mass stable even after excavation.
It also researches environmental restoration after open-pit mining from various perspectives, such as tree planting and drainage control.
The lab also takes part in joint research with overseas research institutions, universities, and companies.
Key terms
- Open-pit mining
- A mining method in which a large pit is dug down from the ground surface to extract resources.
- Underground mining
- A mining method in which tunnels (mine shafts) are dug from the ground surface to reach the underground and extract resources.
- Underground coal gasification
- A technology in which coal underground is reacted in place without being mined, and extracted as gas.
NewsLab news
A master's student received the Outstanding Paper Presentation Award at the Trenchless Technology Research Presentation Meeting
Doctoral and master's students received awards at the Kyushu Branch of the Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan (MMIJ)
A master's student received the BEST PAPER AWARD at ISEST 2025
Associate Professor Hamanaka received the Excellent Paper Award at ISMSSE
A master's student received the Outstanding Master Student Award
ResearchResearch themes
The lab researches how to safely and efficiently extract the metal and energy resources essential to modern life, such as those used in smartphones and cars. It also works on environmental restoration after extraction, clean energy from unused resources, and the use of underground space such as underground tunnels and utility lines.
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MembersFaculty
The members of the Rock Mass Engineering and Mining Machinery Systems Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorHideki Hideki
- Associate ProfessorTakashi Sasaoka
- Associate ProfessorAkihiro Hamanaka
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Boron mine pit” Marcin Wichary / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Safely excavating solid resources: “Aru-Lõuna quarry blasting” Siim Roov / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (資源開発工学研究室): “Pumpjacks Inglewood Oil Field seen from Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook” Jengod / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (物理探査学研究室): “Alessio-gusmeroli-uaf-conducts-geophysical-survey-of-patterned-ground-on-the-north-slope-of-alaska o ( )” Oak Ridge National Laboratory / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (エネルギー資源工学研究室): “MARUM Schwarzer Raucher” MARUM − Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Bremen / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (資源処理・環境修復工学研究室): “Froth Flotation Plant at Argonne” Argonne National Laboratory's Flickr page / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
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