36
aspects. Autonomous machines, mining of the seabed, proposals for mining asteroids and
meteorites, current mines at depths of 4 km, all in sometimes remote and inhospitable locations, all require engineers, researchers and innovators of a calibre comparable to what is
found nowhere else. Africa can, will and does provide these engineers, researchers, innovators
and leaders in the industry, with its legacy etched in the very stone by the output it produces.
Many African mining and other engineers already travel the world, contributing not only
to their own growth and experience, but also to those companies they work for and those
countries they work in.
To appreciate and recognize this also involves the collaboration and investment that the
continent requires in both universities and research centres. With digital mining one of the
main drivers in the fourth industrial revolution, the requirement for a sustained pool of local
researchers, innovators, engineers and technicians is obvious. To contribute in this revolution,
Africa needs the tools, equipment and cooperation to not only add, but also assist in driving
the conversation. The retention, development and specialisation of the expert educators and
researchers, together with those that graduate, are key to a bright mining future. Failure to
support universities and centres of R&D, innovation and excellence in the developing world,
by government, industry and others, will ultimately lead to total dependency upon expertise
and direction from countries in North America, Europe and Australia. This dependency
will not only be down to the expertise, worse still it will be on their availability, which in a
resources boom scenario together with a low number of professionals could be limited, leading to loss in opportunity for country and continent. Lack of African mining engineers will
also affect the continent’s effective contribution to the digital mining revolution and will negatively impact the discovery and development of the continent’s extensive natural resources.
This will have an obvious global negative impact, as Africa is richly endowed with many of
the minerals and natural resources required both locally and worldwide for innovation, technology and sustainable economic development into the 21st century and beyond.
Regulatory and tax incentives should be structured to ensure that industry supports the
long-term objectives of extraction to the benefit of investors and local stakeholders alike,
especially so as seen in the South African context. UMaT in Ghana could benefit from more
industry support, though unlike South Africa lacks a larger and stronger commodity and
industry base to suitably assist. Although initiatives are aligned to diversify the economy and
multiply Ghana’s wealth, it requires an investment in mining and engineering education and
research to reach such milestone in the most effective, efficient and economic manner. The
various stakeholders in Ghana will need to suitably address the situation and reach a Ghanaian solution that benefits all, which needs to be strategic and long-term in nature, as lack
of funding and high university staff turnover will most likely be an impediment to growth.
Many of the universities are already adapting to the challenges the future holds and are
blessed with the youthful talent keen to become involved. Through increased and sustained
investment by government, private industry and others, together with fostering ever closer
relationships with like-minded institutions and organisations that see a brighter and more
prosperous future through sharing and cooperation, African universities will not only ensure
that they provide sufficient expertly trained professionals, but also the innovations and
research to assist them, whilst adding to the global discourse in ensuring digital mining is a
success for not only this generation, but also those that follow. The key to prosperity is intimately linked to not only the quantity and quality of the technicians, engineers and innovators that can be produced within the minerals industry, but also the facilities provided to this
pool of pioneers to explore, utilise and grow their talents.
REFERENCES
[1] Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Commodities Statistics,
and Department of Industry and Science.
[2] Chamberlain, B. 2007. CSIRO Minerals Down Under national research flagship. The AusIMM Bulletin, vol. no. 5, September/October 2007, p. 12.
aspects. Autonomous machines, mining of the seabed, proposals for mining asteroids and
meteorites, current mines at depths of 4 km, all in sometimes remote and inhospitable locations, all require engineers, researchers and innovators of a calibre comparable to what is
found nowhere else. Africa can, will and does provide these engineers, researchers, innovators
and leaders in the industry, with its legacy etched in the very stone by the output it produces.
Many African mining and other engineers already travel the world, contributing not only
to their own growth and experience, but also to those companies they work for and those
countries they work in.
To appreciate and recognize this also involves the collaboration and investment that the
continent requires in both universities and research centres. With digital mining one of the
main drivers in the fourth industrial revolution, the requirement for a sustained pool of local
researchers, innovators, engineers and technicians is obvious. To contribute in this revolution,
Africa needs the tools, equipment and cooperation to not only add, but also assist in driving
the conversation. The retention, development and specialisation of the expert educators and
researchers, together with those that graduate, are key to a bright mining future. Failure to
support universities and centres of R&D, innovation and excellence in the developing world,
by government, industry and others, will ultimately lead to total dependency upon expertise
and direction from countries in North America, Europe and Australia. This dependency
will not only be down to the expertise, worse still it will be on their availability, which in a
resources boom scenario together with a low number of professionals could be limited, leading to loss in opportunity for country and continent. Lack of African mining engineers will
also affect the continent’s effective contribution to the digital mining revolution and will negatively impact the discovery and development of the continent’s extensive natural resources.
This will have an obvious global negative impact, as Africa is richly endowed with many of
the minerals and natural resources required both locally and worldwide for innovation, technology and sustainable economic development into the 21st century and beyond.
Regulatory and tax incentives should be structured to ensure that industry supports the
long-term objectives of extraction to the benefit of investors and local stakeholders alike,
especially so as seen in the South African context. UMaT in Ghana could benefit from more
industry support, though unlike South Africa lacks a larger and stronger commodity and
industry base to suitably assist. Although initiatives are aligned to diversify the economy and
multiply Ghana’s wealth, it requires an investment in mining and engineering education and
research to reach such milestone in the most effective, efficient and economic manner. The
various stakeholders in Ghana will need to suitably address the situation and reach a Ghanaian solution that benefits all, which needs to be strategic and long-term in nature, as lack
of funding and high university staff turnover will most likely be an impediment to growth.
Many of the universities are already adapting to the challenges the future holds and are
blessed with the youthful talent keen to become involved. Through increased and sustained
investment by government, private industry and others, together with fostering ever closer
relationships with like-minded institutions and organisations that see a brighter and more
prosperous future through sharing and cooperation, African universities will not only ensure
that they provide sufficient expertly trained professionals, but also the innovations and
research to assist them, whilst adding to the global discourse in ensuring digital mining is a
success for not only this generation, but also those that follow. The key to prosperity is intimately linked to not only the quantity and quality of the technicians, engineers and innovators that can be produced within the minerals industry, but also the facilities provided to this
pool of pioneers to explore, utilise and grow their talents.
REFERENCES
[1] Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Commodities Statistics,
and Department of Industry and Science.
[2] Chamberlain, B. 2007. CSIRO Minerals Down Under national research flagship. The AusIMM Bulletin, vol. no. 5, September/October 2007, p. 12.