The Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Pretoria is focused on conducting world-class research and training to meet the unique challenges of the South African mining industry. Despite the prevailing electricity shortages, logistical problems and low commodity prices, the industry remains as a key contributor to the country’s economic prosperity.

It is important to note that this is not the first time that the South African mining industry has had to survive exceptionally difficult periods. With ingenuity, and a bit of luck, we always seem to pull through. In the 1960s, for instance, the gold price was artificially low due to the actions of the London Gold Pool to defend the price of US$35 per ounce. Many of South Africa’s marginal gold mining operations had to close. The strong mining units survived, however, and did exceptionally well during the gold boom that followed in the 1970s. South Africa is currently ranked first in the world for chromium, manganese and Platinum Group Metals (PGM) reserves; fourth for gold reserves; and sixth for coal reserves.

Commodity prices will always be subjected to cyclic volatility, and we need to ensure that our mining industry is built on solid rock to weather the occasional storm. Part of building this resilience is to ensure that we conduct the necessary research to improve our productivity and lower our production costs. For example, in its 1995 report, the Leon Commission of Inquiry into safety in the mining industry wrote:

… as no other region of economic significance has similar geometry, no mining industry outside South Africa pursues the solution to this problem…. The solution must therefore be found in South Africa.

Now, almost three decades later, the solution still lies in fostering mining research to solve South Africa’s mining challenges. This is accompanied by a need to establish research groups to contribute to the generation of new knowledge. The University of Pretoria is one of the important remaining entities that can play a role in rebuilding the country’s mining research capacity and find solutions to its problems.

As the newly appointed Head of Department of Mining Engineering, it is my endeavour to contribute to improving South Africa’s mining industry by fostering research that will increase the productivity and safety of its mines. The focus must be on homegrown solutions for South Africa’s unique challenges, world-class research and a curriculum that adapts to the changing needs of industry.

We intend to achieve this by building on the Department’s established foundation and successes. The University is currently ranked in the top 35 for minerals and mining engineering worldwide according to the latest QS University Ranking by Subject. We intend to maintain this reputation by continuing with the Department’s excellent marketing efforts, focusing on research that makes a difference in industry, attracting top students to mining engineering, and ensuring that our curriculum remains relevant. Once we succeed in growing the stature of the Department, we will be able to attract more postgraduate students.

The Department currently has four key research areas: mechanisation and automation, management and leadership, rock engineering and extended reality technology. Through the support of Harmony Gold in the form of a Research Chair in Rock Engineering, the Department is already recognised as a leader in rock engineering. This was illustrated in a special issue of the Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Focusing on hard rock pillar research in South Africa, it featured the research of the Department’s rock engineers.

The Department will continue to engage in cross-disciplinary research. This is facilitated by its Mining Resilience Research Centre (MRRC). An important initiative in this regard is the establishment of the South African Mining Extraction, Research, Development and Innovation (SAMERDI) project in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. This is a three-year public-private partnership funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)’s Mandela Mining Precinct and the Minerals Council of South Africa. Its purpose is to revitalise mining research, development and innovation in South Africa to ensure the sustainability of the industry.

The Department supports other innovative initiatives as well. The Mining Engineering Leadership Academy provides students with non-technical skills that promote creative thinking to solve industry problems. The English Literacy programme helps non-first-language speakers to grasp and communicate their understanding of complex concepts. MagnifyUP, a web-based application developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Health Sciences, allows abstract concepts to be taught by accessing content via any mobile device.

Through these initiatives, among others, I look forward to joining you on the journey to develop the next generation of mining engineering researchers and scholars to the benefit of the South African mining industry.

Prof Francois Malan
Head of Department: Mining Engineering