34
overall both universities have stable to increasing numbers of degrees awarded. Given the high
number of MSc degrees awarded at Wits during 2017, it would be logical to deduce that some
of these will lead to an increase in the number of PhD degrees awarded in the years ahead [20].
As mentioned, all the universities are catering for the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution, together with an increased emphasis on research and innovation, much of which is
specific to current and future industry requirements. In this regard their collaboration both
locally and internationally, with industry, universities and others, are designed to strengthen
their offerings whilst ensuring wide based support.
Although the South African universities appear to be well supported by both government
and industry mechanisms, including research chairs and other additional staff, which supports staff retention and the long-term objectives, adequate industry support for UMaT
in Ghana appears lacking, especially in respect to the funding of research equipment and
facilities. Additionally, UMaT suffers from a high staff turnover, most probably driven by
improved opportunities offered from industry.
The observed relationship between strong universities and mining performance is one of
the benefits of investing in education and is a foundation of unlocking the up and downward
linkages the industry has to offer the economy and the other various invested stakeholders.
For several years, the QS World University Rankings by Subject has been compiling a list
of top universities based on various criteria. In the Minerals and Mining Engineering fields
for 2018, Australian Universities held 4 of the top 10 positions, with Canada and USA universities 2 each, and Germany and Chile 1 each [18]. This indicates how the major mining
countries proactively and intentionally invest and fund their mining engineering universities,
with the long-term and strategic objective of value creation. Africa should endeavour to follow suite and indeed where not already the case, to collaborate closely with these top mining
institutions. As noted earlier, Wits has been steadily climbing these rankings, reaching 15th
position in the 2018 iteration of the list [18].
9 CURRENT AND FUTURE INITIATIVES
As previously touched on, there is a race amongst many of the major global miners to embrace
the benefits of innovation and technology, to achieve a competitive advantage through digital mining in the fourth industrial revolution. Examples are many, but a few include:
1. Rio Tinto is busy with automation initiatives as part of the “Mine of the Future” project
launched in 2008, which included setting up a centre to monitor operations remotely near
Perth airport, more than 1,500 kilometres away from site. Efficiency opportunities already
achieved have apparently helped reduce costs by $80 million, with a commitment to deliver
$500 million of additional free cash flow from 2021 onwards [13]. Driverless autonomous
trucks already haul over a quarter of both ore and waste material, and with 80 of 400 haul
trucks already autonomous, this is expected to increase going forward. These future additions to the autonomous truck fleet are being studied and are expected to contribute to
the $5 billion productivity programme. Plans are also being considered to double its fleet
of autonomous production drill rigs [10]. In October 2018, the first long-haul journey was
completed with a completely autonomous locomotive, with plans to have a network of
such driverless trains in Western Australia. The subsequent BHP runaway train incident
may have raised some safety concerns in the short-term.
2. Goldcorp recently began using IBM’s cognitive computing system, which can learn from
interactions with data and humans and has the potential to transform every facet of the
mining process.
3. Barrick Gold has begun to work with Cisco Systems to embed digital technology at its
Cortez mine in Nevada, with the aim of improving decision-making and performance.
4. Ongoing Gold Fields’ Innovation and Technology projects currently in operation include
surface remote control of underground loaders, and drone technology for surveying.
5. Vale’s massive S11D iron ore mine in Brazil, has one of the lowest cash costs per tonne,
partly because of increased operational efficiency achieved through investments in
overall both universities have stable to increasing numbers of degrees awarded. Given the high
number of MSc degrees awarded at Wits during 2017, it would be logical to deduce that some
of these will lead to an increase in the number of PhD degrees awarded in the years ahead [20].
As mentioned, all the universities are catering for the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution, together with an increased emphasis on research and innovation, much of which is
specific to current and future industry requirements. In this regard their collaboration both
locally and internationally, with industry, universities and others, are designed to strengthen
their offerings whilst ensuring wide based support.
Although the South African universities appear to be well supported by both government
and industry mechanisms, including research chairs and other additional staff, which supports staff retention and the long-term objectives, adequate industry support for UMaT
in Ghana appears lacking, especially in respect to the funding of research equipment and
facilities. Additionally, UMaT suffers from a high staff turnover, most probably driven by
improved opportunities offered from industry.
The observed relationship between strong universities and mining performance is one of
the benefits of investing in education and is a foundation of unlocking the up and downward
linkages the industry has to offer the economy and the other various invested stakeholders.
For several years, the QS World University Rankings by Subject has been compiling a list
of top universities based on various criteria. In the Minerals and Mining Engineering fields
for 2018, Australian Universities held 4 of the top 10 positions, with Canada and USA universities 2 each, and Germany and Chile 1 each [18]. This indicates how the major mining
countries proactively and intentionally invest and fund their mining engineering universities,
with the long-term and strategic objective of value creation. Africa should endeavour to follow suite and indeed where not already the case, to collaborate closely with these top mining
institutions. As noted earlier, Wits has been steadily climbing these rankings, reaching 15th
position in the 2018 iteration of the list [18].
9 CURRENT AND FUTURE INITIATIVES
As previously touched on, there is a race amongst many of the major global miners to embrace
the benefits of innovation and technology, to achieve a competitive advantage through digital mining in the fourth industrial revolution. Examples are many, but a few include:
1. Rio Tinto is busy with automation initiatives as part of the “Mine of the Future” project
launched in 2008, which included setting up a centre to monitor operations remotely near
Perth airport, more than 1,500 kilometres away from site. Efficiency opportunities already
achieved have apparently helped reduce costs by $80 million, with a commitment to deliver
$500 million of additional free cash flow from 2021 onwards [13]. Driverless autonomous
trucks already haul over a quarter of both ore and waste material, and with 80 of 400 haul
trucks already autonomous, this is expected to increase going forward. These future additions to the autonomous truck fleet are being studied and are expected to contribute to
the $5 billion productivity programme. Plans are also being considered to double its fleet
of autonomous production drill rigs [10]. In October 2018, the first long-haul journey was
completed with a completely autonomous locomotive, with plans to have a network of
such driverless trains in Western Australia. The subsequent BHP runaway train incident
may have raised some safety concerns in the short-term.
2. Goldcorp recently began using IBM’s cognitive computing system, which can learn from
interactions with data and humans and has the potential to transform every facet of the
mining process.
3. Barrick Gold has begun to work with Cisco Systems to embed digital technology at its
Cortez mine in Nevada, with the aim of improving decision-making and performance.
4. Ongoing Gold Fields’ Innovation and Technology projects currently in operation include
surface remote control of underground loaders, and drone technology for surveying.
5. Vale’s massive S11D iron ore mine in Brazil, has one of the lowest cash costs per tonne,
partly because of increased operational efficiency achieved through investments in