Minex graduates from the 1970s reunite

Graduates from Cardiff’s former Department of Mineral Exploitation (Minex) reunited in the city this summer to reconnect and celebrate shared memories from their student days.

Held over the midsummer weekend, the celebration brought together 65 attendees, including 38 graduates, two former lecturers, and 25 guests, for a special evening at Cardiff’s Marriott Hotel. For many, it was a long-awaited chance to reconnect – and some flew in from as far afield as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and the USA to be part of the occasion.

Chris Hinde (BSc 1975, PhD 1978), who graduated from Minex in the late 1970s and now lives in Penarth, organised the event. “It was the first reunion for this cohort,” he said. “There was a fantastic atmosphere – a genuine sense of camaraderie. People hadn’t seen each other for decades, but it felt like no time had passed.”

The evening included a light-hearted slideshow featuring ‘before and after’ portraits of 56 former students, often with 50 years between the photos, drawing both laughter and fond memories. The celebrations continued the next day with a relaxed Sunday lunch at The Dock in Cardiff Bay.

Mining education in Cardiff has a long and distinguished history. A mining department was founded at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in 1891 and steadily grew in popularity with the nationalisation of the UK's coal mines. Though Minex closed in 1989, its alumni remain proud of their Cardiff roots.

Chris added: “It was a truly memorable weekend, and we’re now building a contacts database to help old friends stay in touch – and to make it easier to organise future reunions.”

Update your details with the alumni office or find out more about organising an alumni reunion.