Mine-of-the-future: How is Africa prepared from a mineral and mining engineering education perspective?

P.O. Oshokoya and M.N.M. Tetteh

Resources Policy, 2018, vol. 56, issue C, 125-133

Abstract: The mining industry continues to be a major source of employment despite challenges faced by mining engineering graduates to get employment. The issue of skills shortage continues to be a major concern and it is perceived as a real threat to the future of mining. Although the industry has undergone several changes in terms technological advancements, it is further envisioned that the future-mine will rely on a highly skilled skeleton labour force with the ability to perform several tasks through automated and remote-controlled operations and monitoring. The industry is expected to be knowledge-driven through a database model that receives and sends information (environmental, mining production and mineral processing) to enable proactive decisions to be made from both operational and control room perspectives. The four main key focus areas of the mine-of-the-future have been identified as operating practices and technology; talent and leadership; partnership with key stakeholders; and governance. A significant question that arises is the preparedness of mining engineering education in Africa to address the vision of the mine-of-the-future in relation to these four focus areas.

Keywords: Mining engineering education in Africa; Mine-of-the-future; Governance; Partnership with key stakeholder; Talent and leadership; Operating practices and technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:56:y:2018:i:c:p:125-133

DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.10.007

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