Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
WITH more Zimbabwean mining companies investing in technology to improve sustainable mining, there are growing calls for mining training institutions and technological companies to collaborate to tap into new and advanced mining technologies.
Worldwide, new mining technologies are being adopted to enhance the efficiency of mining by improving the ratios of products being mined versus waste being generated and disposed of.
Such technologies focus on mechanical cutting, sensor-based ore sorting and diversion of waste at source, among other things.
In an interview on the sidelines of a hybrid mining event at the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) on Thursday, the institution’s principal, Mr Edwin Gwaze, said technological advances were being witnessed in the mining sector, with the industry automating their operations and introducing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
“Most tech companies who are dealing with new technologies and the explosives companies are also witnessing a change in their products with time. This event sought to look at how training institutions come in with regards to technology, what is their role and how can they collaborate with tech companies and industry,” he said.
“In a normal operating environment, the training institutions should collaborate with tech companies in research, which brings about solutions for the industry in terms of the new innovations that they (industry) would want to use.”
He said they also want a situation where they produce graduates who already have an understanding of the future technologies that are coming in the mining sector.
Mr Gwaze said mining training institutions that produce graduates who are not aware of the new technologies make them redundant in the mining sector.
He added: “We are looking at reviews in our curriculum and how mining training institutions can be supported in terms of some of the key technologies that are required to train students so that they are employable in this new environment.”
Mr Gwaze said as tech companies are coming up with new technologies and mining training institutions are not part of these initiatives, it becomes difficult to integrate graduates in the mining sector and for them to be mining entrepreneurs.
On the other side, he said some people already in the mining industry were trained for some years and might not also be well versed with the latest technologies coming in.
“We also want them to come back to mining training institutions and do refresher courses so that they can also align to what is now prevailing in the industry. For example, in survey, they were using what are called a total station, an instrument to measure angles and distances, but now that technology has moved, there has been introduction of scanners, global positioning system (GPS) surveying equipment and drones, among others,” he said.
Mr Gwaze said automation and digitalisation were crucial in the mining sector to reduce costs, save time and increase productivity, safety and operational efficiency.
Sandvik Zimbabwe head of Business Development, Mining Engineer, Mzingaye Chizura said both automation and digitalisation were transforming mining operations around the country as they had enormous benefits.
“We specialise in high-tech equipment and in those, we specifically have automation and digitalisation. This is a new age where the machine is automised, digitalised and is able to work on its own. The whole objective of the machine is to bring efficiency, safety and productivity into the mining sector. Here in Zimbabwe, we are one of the leading equipment manufacturers by bringing the technology and make it better,” he said.
He said there was a belief among people that bringing automation meant cutting jobs, but it was the opposite as automation was also creating new roles for people in organisations.
AECI Mining Explosives Northern Region regional manager, Explosives Engineering and Blasting Specialist Moshen Jena said automation was coming with many advantages to the mining industry.
“It is assisting mining companies to remove people from where the hazards are and putting them in a safe working space that allows them to control the equipment. Automation is also improving productivity as mining is a business, people have to make money at the end of the day, so with automation there are greater benefits that can accrue to an organisation,” he said.
He said automation was also contributing to mining operations to be sustainable as well as unlock Zimbabwe’s mining fortunes.
The event ran under the theme: “Transforming Mining Operations with Cutting Edge Technology” and sought to unpack how technology was revolutionising the mining industry.
Bongani Ndlovu