CSM's international reputation dates back to the 19th century when with new deposits found around the world CSM graduates began to seek employment overseas and by the 20th century, graduates were in most of the world's major mining areas such as Southern Africa, Western Africa, Malaysia, Australia, South America, Mexico, United States and Canada.

In 2003, CSM joined the Federation of European Mineral Programs (FEMP), allowing its students to participate in study in continental Europe.

[6] CSM is an internationally recognised centre for research related to the formation, discovery, extraction and utilisation of the Earth's natural resources, and subsequent remediation.

These draw upon the school's research expertise in mining and minerals engineering, geology, renewable energy and environmental science, and their links with colleagues in the University of Exeter's Department of Geography.

Work is funded by the research councils, industry and charitable trusts and is supported by the school's technical staff and analytical facilities.

The facilities and services at CSM are available to students, academic staff, research partners, and individuals and organisations from the business community.

The school's geochemical and mineralogical analytical laboratories include a £1.5 million microbeam analytical facility that contains an extensive range of sample preparation and analytical facilities including optical microscopes, cathodoluminescence, low-vacuum scanning electron microscope, electron probe microanalyser, QEMSCAN (particle analysis and mineral identification), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption spectrometers, atomic fluorescence spectrometer plus elemental, physical and thermal analysers.

Field Station In May 2017 CSM lost the use of its underground field station near Camborne due to the site being sold to a 3rd party, putting an end to blast vibration/underground mining research carried out there and annual student mining induction courses that had been carried out there since the 1960s, when the site was owned & run by Holman Brothers, Camborne.