Corps des mines

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The Corps des mines is the foremost of the technical Grand Corps of the French State (grands corps de l'Etat). It is formed of the State Engineers of the Mines. The Corps is attached to the French ministry in charge of economy, industry and employment.

People entering the Corps are educated at the École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, also known as Mines ParisTech, with a special curriculum distinct from that of ordinary students. Most of them are from École polytechnique; these are known as X-Mines; others come from École normale supérieure (ENS), Télécom ParisTech (former ENST) or the regular curriculum of the École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris.

Many executive positions in France's industries are held by Corps des Mines engineers.

Former Corps members

The following are alumni of the school:

Charles de Freycinet, prime minister of France at the end of the 19th century
Henri Poincaré, Nineteenth century mathematician and scientist.
Conrad Schlumberger, founder with his brother Marcel of the Société de Prospection Electrique, that became later Schlumberger Limited

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