The University of Mines and Technology has assembled key players in the mining industry for the 8th Biennial International Mining and Mineral Conference under the theme “Innovation in Mining and Mineral Processing; Expanding the frontiers of Mining Technology”.

The two-day conference, which began on Thursday, August 1, 2024, and will end on Friday, August 2, is aimed at engineers, scientists, researchers, consultants, business executives, students, and all those who are interested in mining, processing, petroleum, and the environment.

The objectives are to present new developments and exchange experiences and practices in mining.

There was a panel discussion where the panel discussed green minerals, critical minerals, and Ghana’s preparedness for value addition.

Giving the welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Prof. Richard Kwasi Amankwaa, noted that the conference is focused on creating a platform where researchers, engineers, academics, and those interested in the mining industry can come together to discuss their research and present findings.

The Vice Chancellor added that “we have authors and presenters who would take care of about eighty different presentations about their research and ideas on how to move the minerals industry of Ghana forward.”

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, while congratulating UMaT for being the centre of excellence in the mining industry, urged the university to continue to promote research and development and institute appropriate skills and training interventions to produce the requisite capacities and facilities for the mining industry.

“To add value to the critical minerals we produce, we must train people to require the net-straight expertise and the wherewithal to add value to our minerals locally. And we must develop innovations that add value to these minerals in a more cost-effective, efficient, and easy way," he added.

According to the minister, government has already put in place a policy and regulatory framework to incentivize and support investment in value-added activities in the mining industry.

He said, “The green minerals policy, approved by the cabinet of President Akufo-Addo, for instance, provides incentives for investments as one moves higher on the value chain of the industry. These incentives can only be harnessed if we build the necessary technologies and innovations that make value addition in Ghana competitive and cost-effective as academic institutions.”

Mr. Jinapor urged academic institutions to drive research that will lead to the requisite innovation and development of products and services based on the country’s resources, which will bridge globally available technology to meet demands locally and beyond.