The Conseil Général des Mines is an inspectorate service placed under the authority of the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. Its activities encompass administration, economical analysis and technology assessment in the field of mineral ressources, energy, risk management, environmental protection, innovation, and engineering . The Conseil Général des Mines carries out assignements requested by Ministers . It is also specifically dedicated to assist the Ministry in charge of Environment.

ACTIVITIES

The Conseil Général des Mines carries out inspections of the Regional authorities in charge of Industry, Research and Environment (DRIRE) : in 2001, 20 such inspections were carried out in the various fields of the DRIRE, their organisation and operations as well.
The Conseil Général des Mines participates in elaborating or amending of regulations. It is consulted for delivery of permits for operations underground as regard mineral ressources or storage facilities : specific issues related to " after-mining " with iron or salt mines were investigated in 2001.
The 10 specific assignements requested by Ministers in 2001, under the form of audits, evaluations or reviews, deal with topics such as energy ( safety of electricity distribution, price regulations for electricity, new terms for hydraulic electricity concession), several complex issues in the field of mining activities, enhancement of information technologies, higher education, international cooperation . In addition the Conseil Général des Mines has carried out for the Ministry in charge of Environment 5 assignements jointly with the inspection of this ministry.
The Conseil Général des Mines is in charge of the supervision of six institutes for higher education in science and managerial techniques (Ecoles des Mines de Paris, Saint-Etienne, Alès, Douai, Albi, Nantes) which deliver around 800 master degrees and PhD yearly.
The Conseil Général des Mines is responsible for editing the quaterly " Annales des Mines " established in 1794 : it includes presently three separate periodicals which review issues related to economic sectors, corporate life cycle, technologies in relation with environmental protection or risk management.
 

ORGANISATION

The 22 Ingénieurs Généraux des Mines (Senior Engineers) of the Conseil Général des Mines perform their duties in the framework of three sections :

• the section for legal affairs addresses more specifically economical and legal issues related to energy end mineral ressources ;
• the section for technical affairs deals with matters related to safety ,environmental protection and risk management ;
• the section for innovation and management deals, jointly with the Conseil Général des Technologies de l’Information with matters concerning innovation enhancement within corporations as well as technical management training.