The department of exploitation of mineral deposits was organized in 1994 with the simultaneous foundation of Ekibastuz Engineering Technical Institute named after academician K.I. Satpayev for training senior professionals on specialties of engineering profile for mining enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the first place, to replenish engineering employees of the Ekibastuz coal mines and Maikuben deposits.
The proximity of the world's largest coal producers determined the priorities in training specialists for the development of the open fields and operation of modern technological mining machinery and equipment.
One of the initiators of training specialists in mining in Ekibastuz was technical director of the GAO "Ekibastuzugol", Candidate of technical sciences, Professor Belik Nikolay Mitrofanovich. The Scientific-methodical assistance in the establishment of the department has made "Open pit mining" department of K.I. Satpayev Kazakh National Technical University headed by Academician Rakishev Bayan Rakishevich.
At the department of those people who stood at the origins of its organization and training are spoken with great warmth: Kravets Tatyana Vasilyeva supervised the training of mining mechanical engineers, and headed the department in 2001-2003. Later she taught in St. Petersburg Mining University; Antonenko Ivan Grigorjevich headed the department during the period 2003-2006, Candidate of technical sciences , Professor, who made a great contribution to thedevelopment and training of young specialists; Moldabaev Serik Kurashovich, doctor of technical sciences, professor, who worked at the department since the beginning of its formation, he headed the department from 2006 to 2010, he has considerable experience in the quarries and pits.
Associate Professors of the department are: Kuznetsov Y.F., Chumakov A.D., Antonenko I.G.. They refer to the constellation of miners who had built Ekibastuz cuts, as well as had trained many mining professionals.
The combination of professors and teaching staff and experienced production workers of Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh mining schools, close relationship with the coal deposits is the main feature of formation and development of the mineral deposits exploitation chair in Ekibastuz.