Modern Mining November 2015

MINING News

UP participates in Joburg Indaba

participated in ‘The Future Generation’ session and enjoyed the opportunity to interact with current mining industry pro­ fessionals, who were able to give them valuable insight into the world they will be entering in 2016. 

Improving skills is one of the biggest needs and challenges of the mining industry. This topic, together with other pertinent issues such as modernisation, was just one of the topics to be covered at the 2015 Joburg Indaba, which was held at the Inanda Club recently. The University of Pretoria (UP) was one of the sponsors of the event. Professor Cheryl de la Rey, Vice- Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, participated in a panel discussion at the Indaba exploring the strategic direc­ tion that is currently shaping the industry. “Our primary responsibility as an aca­ demic institution is that we produce quality students who are prepared to engage with the changing environments in which they will work,” she said. “Our recently launched Virtual Reality Centre for Mine Design, together with the Mining Resilience Research Institute in the Faculty of Engineering Built Environment and IT (EBIT), both provide vital cogs in the wheel that will assist the industry with

its re-positioning and actively contribute towards solutions for the complex chal­ lenges it faces.” UP final year mining students also

Final year Mining Engineering students visiting the Joburg Indaba held at the Inanda Club recently. Seen here (from left) are Busi Manana, Zelly Moropana, Tshwarelo Phago, Surprise Mahlangu, Itumeleng Sikosana and Otshepeng Manne.

November 2015  MODERN MINING  9