Nust engineering students establish Mining Society

ENZO AMUELE

WINDHOEK

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has established a Mining and Process Engineering Student Society which aims at growing the mining industry and preparing for the fourth industrial revolution.

Speaking to My Zone last week, the president of the Nust Mining and Process Engineering Student Society, Joe-Justene Amakali, said: “With mining being one of the biggest economic contributors in Namibia, it is of utmost importance that as a nation which is rich in natural resources, we start preparing for the upcoming change and navigate the mining industry to a path of successful transformation.”

He said bearing in mind the health risks associated with mining, and the high costs involved, it is likely that most mines will be digitised in the next five to ten years, and that would have severe implications for the employment rate.

This change comes as a result of the desire of mining companies to find safer working conditions for mineworkers and also cheaper ways of mining and processing minerals. That will result in retrenchment, high unemployment and severe long-term effects on the economy.

Amakali added that Nust is the best institution with great facilities for the mining industry and therefore the society is planning on having a panel discussion on 17 December 2020, which will focus on the Namibian mining industry and the fourth industrial revolution.

The panel discussion will engage with all role-players in the mining industry about the future of mining and manufacturing in Namibia.

The objective of the discussion is to create awareness of a Namibian Research and Innovation Institute, similar to MINTEK in South Africa. That would form the foundation upon which the Namibian mining industry would grow.

“It is in this light that we, the Mining and Process Engineering Student Society, want to create awareness among all relevant stakeholders in the mining industry, so the discussion involves all parties,” he said.