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Students from Southern Africa and Japan have spent a week with the Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) at the Wits Mining Institute as part of the collaborative Smart Mining Program.
According to DigiMine head Dr. Ahsan Mahboob, the group of 24 students spent a week in lectures, mine visits and other educational activities arranged through the Wits Mining Institute’s Skills Accelerator.
The work comprises the second module of the Smart Mining Program offered by Akita and Kyushu universities in Japan, who have had a long collaboration with DigiMine as a key partner.
“The visit was an exciting opportunity for students from around southern Africa and Japan to engage with sustainability and technology challenges and opportunities that will drive the future of the mining sector,” said Mahboob.
The Smart Mining Program aims to produce globally-minded individuals with skill sets related to resource informatics.
DigiMine’s role as a partner is anchored in its state-of-the-art facilities and its pioneering research into 21st-century digital technologies aimed at enhancing safety and sustainability in mining, he stated.
“DigiMine’s expertise makes it exceptionally well-suited to present the latest advancements in these areas to participants,” he explained.
“During their time in South Africa, the group attended expert lectures covering a broad spectrum of topics, including fiber optics in mining, emerging trends in digital technology, cybersecurity, and the application of the circular economy to the mining industry.
“They also had the opportunity of experiencing first-hand the demanding conditions of a deep-level South African gold mine, providing them with invaluable insights into the challenges faced by the mining sector.”
The week spent in South Africa comprised the second module of the Smart Mining Program, following an initial module during which the students attended online classes for about six months.
A third module – in which the group will visit Japan for a series of lectures and mine site visits – will complete the course in September 2024, after which the students will receive their certificates.
“We are proud to be part of this critical collaboration with universities worldwide, as the challenges of sustainability in the mining sector cannot be addressed by any single organisation,” said Mahboob.
“By sharing our knowledge and insights, DigiMine is partnering with global institutions to cultivate the skills necessary for the mining industry to achieve not only its production targets but also its sustainability goals.”
He emphasised that global ambitions to create a lower-carbon future will require increased production of certain critical minerals, but this must be accomplished through more sustainable mining practices. DigiMine is leveraging some of the most talented minds in the sector to research, develop and implement technological solutions to achieve this objective, he said.
