Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
THE completion and operationalisation of Gwanda State University (GSU)’s Engineering Lab and Innovation Complex that is expected to ensure an ecosystem that supports minerals beneficiation and value addition in the mineral-rich district is at an advanced stage.
The complex, whose construction is almost complete will have modern equipment that is key in mining engineering and will bring a number of positives to the mining operations carried out in the district and surrounding mining areas.
Responding to questions from the Sunday News, GSU Information, Marketing and Public Relations director Mrs Moreblessings Ndhlovu-Nkomo said the development aims at spurring mineral beneficiation and exploration initiatives in the country.
“The state-of-the-art engineering lab and innovation complex which GSU is building is envisaged to ensure an improved innovation ecosystem through enhanced mining research and adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support minerals beneficiation and value addition chains. Being a first of its kind nationally, it will assist in finding innovative ways to curb the exportation of unprocessed mineral ores,” she said.
She said with the university situated in the mineral-rich province of Matabeleland South, its Epoch Mine Campus positions GSU as a mining destination as it sits on the formerly Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC) Mining Company reserves.
Mrs Ndhlovu-Nkomo said the Faculty of Engineering and Environment was in the process of conducting mineral exploration programmes that would see the university revamping mineral reserves at its Epoch Mine Campus and surrounding areas.
“These projects will see the university contributing to the implementation of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), as Zimbabwe aims at boosting mineral export from US$2,7 billion to USS$4 billion annually, by 2030,” she said.
She said some of the programmes include short courses and degrees in exploration, mining and mineral beneficiation.
GSU Department of Mining Engineering chairperson, Mr Desire Jaibes said they would soon operationalise the Engineering Lab and Innovation Complex which would house innovations readying for industrialisation.
He said as GSU they are committed to conducting educational workshops and public lectures meant to equip the surrounding communities with sustainable mining practices.
The Engineering Lab and Innovation Complex project dovetails with the Government’s National Development Strategy (NDS1), which supports the establishment of centres of excellence to provide universities and colleges platforms for innovation and domestication of value chains.
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