Page 17 - issue 24

In The News 17

African Mining For Benefit :

A fresh perspective on the

future of Mining

Professor F.T Carwood
Director at Wits Mining Institute

peaking at the just ended Africa it,observed Carwood. At this gathering more. Better for Africa means no harm,
Mining Conference hosted by fourteen African countries were secondly benefit and thirdly growing
SGRVGLOBAL in Gaborone and represented and delegates were from the middle class. The current challenges
in partnership with the African Union, both Government and Private sectors of of the fourth industrial revolution are
Professor F.T Carwood who is the the various African countries. to get to work from a complex hostile
Director at Wits Mining Institute said underground environment to a control
“The future starts now and what we Mining for benefit is a big issue in Africa, room and back to mine workers in real
need to do for the future of Mining,. the world needs minerals and Africa time.
In the 21st Century ,mining is changing has the stock.A decade ago mining The future of work and also of mining
and it is changing fast and the future of companies were slow to embrace will be workspaces with information
mining cannot be separated from the technology. The Professor called for in clouds and not in a cabinet next to
future of energy.” Professor Carwood smart mining or smart prospecting,. a dedicated desk.Human beings will
urged the mining industry to prospect Universities are introducing new be “made” part-machines through
for more minerals saying Africa has the curriculum to prepare the graduates for biotechnologies and data-rich work
right minerals and the right quantities the new demands of the mining industry. environments in a fast-changing world.
but the major challenge is Africa’s Graduates will be equipped with skills The Professor highlighted that “longer
infrastructure is not ready. to design, install,maintain and produce life expectancy causes older people
with intelligent machines that can sense in workplaces and this will result in
Poverty remains an issue in Africa and and observe. Mining is getting more increased jobless youth.
focus will be on mining companies remote and more difficult.The fourth
‘what they are doing and how they do industrial revolution is about better not

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