In celebration of the diamond jubilee of the Department of Mining Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at the University of Pretoria (UP), the Department has launched a commemorative publication of the Department’s development and achievements over the past 60 years. The event took place as part of the celebratory meeting of the Department of Mining Engineering Advisory Board on 3 November 2021.

The launch of this commemorative publication was one of several events planned to celebrate 60 years of excellence in mining engineering education. During the event, Professor Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, shared his message of congratulations on the Department’s 60th anniversary. This was followed by messages of congratulations from Professor Con Fauconnier, Honorary President of the Mining Alumni Society of the University of Pretoria (MASUP), on behalf of the Department’s alumni, and Chris Griffith, CEO of Gold Fields, on behalf of the mining industry.

Prof Con Fauconnier, Honorary Professor and President of the Mining Alumni Society; Prof Ronny Webber-Youngman, HOD Mining Engineering; Prof Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal; Chris Griffith, CEO Gold Fields; Prof Sunil Maharaj, Acting  Vice-Principal: Research and Postgraduate Studies.

The book takes readers through the history of the Department since its establishment in 1961, and includes recollections of students from among the first classes of Mining Engineering at the University of Pretoria, as well as photographs of all the final-year groups since 1965. The narrative takes readers through each decade of the Department’s existence, culminating in the most recent decade. It covers some of the Department’s flagship initiatives, as well as its focus on the future, and it's intent to develop mining engineers who are prepared for the challenges of the next decades.

This celebration coincides with the recognition of UP as one of the top 50 universities in the world in minerals and mining engineering according to the QS World University Subject Rankings for 2021. Other highlights during this jubilee year include the launch of the Exxaro Chair in Extended Reality Technology, as well as the launch of the Research Centre for Mechanised Mining Systems at UP as one of four national research centres of the Mandela Mining Precinct funded by the Department of Science and Innovation.

View the publication electronically