A Mining Resilience Research Centre (MRRC) has been established at the University of Pretoria (UP). The Centre will focus on conducting multi-disciplinary research activities within the mining industry and developing lasting partnerships with leading international research and academic institutions.
Prof Jan du Plessis, Sasol Chair in Health, Safety and Environment in the Department of Mining Engineering at UP, says that although mining faces severe challenges under the current economic conditions, it remains an important sector for growth and transformation in Africa. 'Issues around legacy, responsibility, impact and innovation need to be addressed in order to achieve a resilient mining industry in Africa. At the heart of any strategy to achieve resilience in African mining lies the requirement that mining leaders of the future exhibit appropriate knowledge, capability, attitude and behaviour. The establishment of the MRRC is the result of extensive consultation with industry and the main aim of this Centre is to provide modern approaches, world class facilities and globally relevant topics, making it possible for researchers to excel and for the industry to build capacity,' says Prof Du Plessis.
According to the World Bank, Africa is home to about 30% of the world's mineral reserves, 10% of its oil, and 8% of its natural gas. South Africa's mining industry is responsible for an estimated 19% of the country's total economic activity and supports at least another 25% of upstream and downstream economic activities. Despite its considerable wealth in this regard, the continent is plagued by poverty, social inequality, and slow economic development. However, mining remains a key driver for growth and is inextricably linked to Africa's future. With mining comes employment and skills development, investment in education, the construction of infrastructure and the generation of much-needed revenue.
The MRRC currently facilitates collaboration among the faculties of Humanities, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, and Law. It is intended that more UP faculties will eventually become involved in the MRRC's activities, making it a fully interdisciplinary mining research centre. The MRRC is currently conducting six research projects in Engineering, Built Environment and Humanities.
As part of the Centre's strategic intent, it will continue to form partnerships with leading international and local universities. This will include student and lecturer exchanges, joint research activities and opportunities for postgraduate studies in various speciality fields.
See related photo in the right sidebar.
Prof Jan du Plessis
July 19, 2016
In a first for precision agriculture, University of Pretoria (UP) researchers, in association with collaborators from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have produced maps of smallholder farms in Gauteng that highlight maize plants in green and weeds in red. The maps were shared with farmers to enable them to pinpoint and eradicate weeds with more precision.
Farmers not only save time and money by cutting down the cost and effort required to manage weeds, but also limit the environmental impact of using harmful weed-killing chemicals by using satellite data and imagery.
This classification map shows the different types of plants in a crop field in various areas in Gauteng. The legend shows red for weeds, green for maize and yellow for mixed growth areas.
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