The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rabotec, a mining service company to start operating a gold mine called the “UMaT Mine” to train students in mining and its related programmes.

The University through the support of the Minerals commission acquired a 50-acre scale mining concession at in the Wassa East District of the Western Region where the University has been carrying exploration with support from minerals commission for the past two year.

With Rabotec coming on board, the company will provide Human Resource, equipment and other things that will be needed to operate the mine safely and successfully.

To solidify the union between Rabotec and UMaT, Rabotec donated a brand-new Nissan Pickup to the University.

During the signing of the MOU, the Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Prof Richard Kwasi Amankwaa noted that “We have signed an MOU to govern our engagements where we will go ahead to develop the mine to help train our own students and also to make it available to anybody who wants to come and learn.

He explained that “we sought to have a joint venture with Rabotec so that they being a mining support service company would come in to help us to mine after we have been able to define where the ore is”.

According to Prof. Amankwaa the students’ population has increased making it difficult for the students to secure attachments in the industry for practicals, hence the need to develop the mine in order to give student the platform to practice. “You will agree with me that our numbers are increased. And these days you cannot get attachment on the mind for everybody”, he added.

The Vice Chancellor noted that with the students walking in and out to do exploration to do mining saddling, processing, tailings disposal and everything that has to do with the mining lifecycle, including revegetation, will be a game changer in skills development in the universities concept.

He expressed his appreciation to Rabotec for sealing the agreement with a Nissan Navara Pickup which would support the university and its activities.

“So if somebody signs an MOU with you, and on that day it gives you a pick up, then you can be sure that this is a serious minded Group. We are going to use it as part of our engagement and we look forward to going ahead to develop the mine plan. Develop the design for the processing center, and then eventually start the mine. So this is just the beginning of goodness,” he said.

According to the CEO of Rabotec, Ali Ibrahim, the collaboration has been a major plan of Rabotec in terms of skills and business developments, “because Rabotec had plans of owning a mine and develop it, and if UMaT has same plan, it was good to collaborate”.

“I've already given the Operation’s Executive, the green light to get some of our qualified engineers and managers who will also be involved with this project from developmental stage to professional stage”, he said.

Mr Ibrahim noted that “the company will start bringing in our team that will have to come and collaborate and join the team to start developing. In terms of funding, yes, we made provision for funding for this project. And together with VC and the University, maybe if we have to even go out there and seek for some additional funding from some financial institutions, we’ve also made provisions for that”.

Mr Ibrahim described the mine as a teaching mine because “most of the bigger institutions, always have a teaching facility for students to have the practical knowledge from the university before getting interns to go out there. The whole mining will be centered will be centered around the university for it to have that brand that it is a UMaT mine.”

He assured the University community of Rabotec’s commitment making the mine one of the biggest in West Africa and in the world.