The Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Pretoria, in partnership with African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), launched the African Rainbow Minerals Postgraduate Bursary Initiative on 3 March 2020.

This initiative was predicated on the vision of Dr Patrice Motsepe, Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals. To celebrate the launch of this initiative, Prof Ronny Webber-Youngman, Head of the University’s Department of Mining Engineering, held a welcoming lunch at the University, which was attended by ARM’s Ferrous Chief Executive, Mr André Joubert, and Group Executive: Human Resources, Ms Busi Mashiane, together with the beneficiaries of the African Rainbow Minerals Postgraduate Bursary Initiative. 

By supporting postgraduate students in the mining industry value chain, this initiative is set to establish the company’s consolidated minerals resources industry footprint in the University of Pretoria. Beneficiaries will include postgraduate students in mineral sciences and complementary fields, such as finance, management and information technology. It is thus a multi-department intervention, which is aligned to the multidisciplinary approach followed by both the Department of Mining Engineering and the University of Pretoria.

The key relationship between the University and ARM will be based on providing advice, mentoring and funding students’ postgraduate studies, while strategically exposing them to ARM’s core business operations. The ultimate goal will be to develop these students’ careers as leaders in the mining industry and to serve as a talent base for ARM. This will bring about the skills and innovation sought throughout the company’s value chain, with a key focus on developing and improving the lives of the people of South Africa.

The initial group of beneficiaries includes a diverse group of students from varying backgrounds studying towards honours and master’s degrees in Mining Engineering. Their research interests range from rock mechanics to mining technology integration (linked to the Fourth Industrial Revolution) and explosives engineering.

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