Joanna Gaskell - Education Editor

Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. announces new scholarship fund

Posted on March 8, 2013

PRESS RELEASE FROM RIO TINTO, 08 MARCH 2013: Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., in partnership with the Yellowknife Community Foundation, is pleased to announce the establishment of the Diavik Community Scholarship Fund. With an initial donation of C$25,000, the Diavik Community …

CIM Editor Peter Braul Interviews EduMine Author and Presenter Jack Caldwell

Posted on March 8, 2013

CIM Magazine Editor Peter Braul sits down with Jack Caldwell, EduMine author and presenter, mine closure expert, and blogger, and talks about leaving a mining legacy to be proud of. Among other topics, Jack talks to Peter about why he blogs openly about issues the mining industry faces, and the drivers for good post-closure practices.

Leicester Geoscience Student Wins MICROMINE Bursary Award

Posted on March 7, 2013

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 6 March 2013: Leading provider of intuitive software solutions to the mining and exploration industry, MICROMINE (UK), has awarded a £1,000 bursary to an undergraduate geology student from the University of Leicester as part of the annual MICROMINE Student Bursary Programme. The 2013 recipient is Matthew Booth, a third-year student in Leicester’s MGeol Applied and Environmental Geology course.

Should we Fill Australian Mining Jobs with Refugees?

Posted on June 18, 2012

Australian businesswoman Janet Holmes says refugees should be used to fill vacancies in the Australian resources industry, Australian Mining reports. "It's astounding in a time when we have labour shortages and skills shortages that there are people in detention centres," …

Australian Job Fair in Houston, Texas Popular with Skilled American Workers

Posted on May 28, 2012

The Australian Job Fair, set in Houston, Texas to invite skilled American gas, oil, mining and construction workers to meet Australian recruiters, has met its enrollment target for attendees, reports WorkPermit.com. "Skilled workers from throughout Texas and adjoining southern states …

Queensland Resources Council Encourages Women to Try Mining

Posted on May 24, 2012

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is encouraging more women to learn a trade and start working in the mining industry – an important part of the strategy to combat the mining skills shortage in Australia, reports Australian Mining.

The QRC said women were already starting to fill more jobs in the industry, and higher participation would benefit men in the sector by making it easier for families to move. "We're starting to see a shift in women coming into these non-traditional roles," it told ABC News. "If a woman is looking at applying for a job, we're also offering a position for their partner so that the family can shift."

Rio Tinto doubles mine trainees in Australia

Posted on May 17, 2012

Miner Rio Tinto has announced plans to double its mine trainee and apprenticeship programs to meet future demands in Australia, reports Australian Mining.

Tshwane University and GyroLAG Bridge Mining-Engineering Skills Gap

Posted on May 11, 2012

Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and air-borne geophysics company GyroLAG are joining forces to bridge the skills gap between mining and engineering in South Africa, reports Mining Weekly.

“We are delighted to participate in TUT’s S&T train project. What a better way to help start young people on a track to becoming engineers, getting exposed to the industries behind two major modes of transport!” says GyroLAG CEO Dr Laurent Ameglio.

Management Skills Lacking in South African Mines

Posted on May 4, 2012

The CEO of management leadership consultancy Louis Allen, Nico de Kock, says South African mining companies need to focus more on their management capability and leadership skills, reports Mining Weekly.

Management and leadership should not be seen as separate skills, as they are interlinked and necessary to improve productivity to achieve better results, he explains. “The key driver of any effective input-throughput-output process is the manager. If a management team implements more effective planning, organising, leading and controlling practices, it will improve business results,” notes De Kock.

Snowden Seminar on Risk and Opportunity in Mining

Posted on May 2, 2012

Mining News reports: on November 1, Snowden will be holding a seminar offering advice, tools and strategies that can be used to identify, quantify, manage and mitigate risks, and maximize opportunities in mining. The seminar will be held in Perth, …

Xstrata Turns Former Mine into Training Facility

Posted on April 16, 2012

Xstrata is using former coal mine Baal Bone as a training facility for underground miners, reports Australian Mining.

Mark Bulkeley, Xstrata Coal's Baal Bone health safety and training manager, said the first group of 12 trainees graduated a few weeks ago and are already working at the Ulan West mine. "The feedback we've received from them is that the Baal Bone training facility enabled them to have a better understanding and knowledge before going into production," Bulkeley said.

Afghanistan Looks to Australia for Mine Training

Posted on April 11, 2012

Afghanistan is seeking aid from the Australian mining industry in the creation of a school of mines to help the recovering country exploit its vast natural resources, reports Chinamining.org.

[Afghanistan] Mines Minister Wahidullah Shahrani said, "Australia is a model for us". "The government of Australia has been very generous to help us with our technical capacity, give us scholarships for postgraduate programs in the mining area and we've also been sending some people to the Australian department of mines and petroleum," he told The Australian.

Mozambique Calls Back Exiled Nationals with Skills in the Mining Industry

Posted on April 11, 2012

After discovering significant sources of oil, gas and coal in Mozambique, the government is calling for nationals living abroad to return to the country, most after being exiled during the civil war, reports Business Day.

The country is also expanding its skills-training programmes, while hundreds of Mozambican students are in China attending technical training programmes.

South Africa Suffers from Shortage of Rock Engineers

Posted on April 9, 2012

Mining Weekly: South African mine seismology specialist SiM Mining Consultants has pointed out a persistent issue in the mining industry in South Africa – too few qualified professionals in the rock engineering field.

South African miners are aware of seismic risks in mines but seismic sensors must be installed in mines to record data and allow the industry to understand increased seismic activity, [SiM director Friedemann Essrich] says. Essrich believes that a greater pool of experts and increased awareness of seismicity can be created through the education of rock engineers.

LME Donations to Wits School of Mining Engineering Increase Student Thoroughput

Posted on April 5, 2012

The amount of first-year students studying at the Wits School of Mining Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand has dramatically increased due to donations from the London Metal Exchange (LME), reports International Mining.

Professor Fred Cawood, head of the Wits School of Mining Engineering, aims to increase the percentage of sponsored students in the school to provide opportunities for those drawn from a disadvantaged socio-economic background and the donation from LME fulfilled this exact purpose. “Our objective is to identify students who are needy – students coming from poor families who cannot afford to study, and deserving – those who have a realistic chance of success if their money problems are resolved,” says Professor Cawood.

West Virginia Mine Safety Training Facility to Start Construction in June

Posted on March 29, 2012

A new training facility for mine safety could be breaking ground in Julian, West Virginia, by June of this year, reports The State Journal.

Alpha [Natural Resources] agreed to build a "state-of-the-art" training facility in Julian as part of its obligations to settle with the Department of Justice in regard to the Upper Big Branch mine disaster. The accident resulted in the death of 29 miners.

Philippine Government will Finance Education of Miners

Posted on March 26, 2012

The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources will finance the university education of geologists and mining professionals to counter the steady decline of these professions in the workforce, reports Inquirer News.

“The past years saw a steady decline in geologists and mining and metallurgical engineers in the MGB for two reasons—their recruitment by the private sector or their going abroad which offers bigger salaries, and a halt in DENR’s recruitments because of the rationalization program,” [Environment Secretary Ramon] Paje said.

Northern Territory Government and Minerals Council to Encourage Territorians Towards Mining

Posted on March 22, 2012

Experts have estimated that Australia's Northern territory will need an extra 6000 workers over five years to meet mining and gas demand. The Northern Territory Government and Minerals Council are working together the encourage local Territorians to take those positions, reports NT News.

Industry and the Government will work together to show students "clear pathways" to careers in mining. The program will include industry training, work experience, mentoring and school-based apprentices.

South Australia Resource Industry Study Calls for More Women in Mining

Posted on March 16, 2012

The Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining in the Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland has released a study that proposes greater involvement of women in the mining industry, reports the Roxby Downs Sun.

It said, “the largest, mostly untapped, labour pool available to the industry is women.”

South African Coal Industry Plagued by Skill Shortage

Posted on March 16, 2012

Mining Weekly: Though efforts are being made to remedy the shortage of engineers in the South African coal industry, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) School of Mining Engineering head Professor Fred Cawood says that not enough is being done to meet demand for skilled technicians and artisans.

“This challenge will not be sorted out unless significant investment is made into further education and training colleges,” says Cawood.

Construction Sector Council: Mobility and Training Needed to meet Labour Needs in B.C. Mining

Posted on March 14, 2012

Equipment Journal: The Construction Sector Council has declared in a new report that in order to meet upcoming construction labour needs in mining and other industries around British Columbia, worker mobility and training will need to increase.

“Industry will need to meet labour demand requirements through worker mobility, including regional moves by workers within the province – south to north and potentially workers from outside our province or country to meet peak demands,” added [President of the Construction Labour Relations Association of BC, Clyde] Scollan. “Both short- and long-term worker training will have to be a focus to help meet the labour demand on the industrial and engineering projects in remote areas.”

Rio Tinto Creates Geotechnical Engineering Chair at University of New South Wales

Posted on March 14, 2012

Rio Tinto Northparkes Mines has established a professorial chair in geotechnical engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to enable underground mining and block caving research, reports Australian Mining.

Head of UNSW School of Mining, Bruce Hebblewhite, explained that "this partnership recognises the importance of geotechnical engineering as a core element for successful and safe underground mining. "[Block caving] is the lowest cost underground mining method available and is growing rapidly around the world….and there is a significant shortage of people with skills in these areas," Hebblewhite added.

Kemira Mienrals Holds Pre-PASTE Workshop on Polymers

Posted on March 13, 2012

Kemira Minerals and Metals will be holding a one-day workshop on polymers preceding the 3-day PASTE seminar in Sun City, South Africa this April, reports mining-technology.com.

Along with representatives from other global manufacturers and suppliers of polymers, Kemira's Mick Bower will lend his experience and insight to the fundamentals of coagulation and flocculation applied to paste thickening, as well as conventional uses and methods of application.

Kinross Supports Mine Health and Safety Professorship at Queens University

Posted on March 13, 2012

Kinross Gold will provide $625,000 over the next five year period in support of a Mine Health and Safety Professorship at Queens University, reports the Canadian Mining Journal.

The funding will support both undergraduate and graduate courses on mining health and safety; short courses on H&S for industrial practitioners; and development of educational materials.

Free Coal Training Course in Kentucky Starts Today!

Posted on March 12, 2012

The Kentucky Coal Academy and Workforce Solutions of Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College are offering a free eight-week coal mining course in Cumberland, Kentucky, for miners to improve their skills, reports Kentucky.com.

"It provides state-of-the-art training at no cost to the participant," [director of the Kentucky Coal Academy Murrel] Dixon said. "It should be of particular interest now because of current mine lay-offs. This is a good time for coal miners to come out, undergo quality technical training that will not only make them efficient in the mining industry, but in other areas."