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SA: Statement by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, launches new Centre of Excellence for Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (24/04/2014)

SA: Statement by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, launches new Centre of Excellence for Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (24/04/2014)

24th April 2014

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South Africa's rich mineral wealth means that mining is still one of the
country’s dominant economic activities.  While diamond and gold
production may be well down from their peak production years, the country
remains a cornucopia of mineral resources.

Against this backdrop the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and
the National Research Foundation (NRF) launched the Centre of Excellence
(CoE) for Integrated Minerals and Energy Resource Analysis (CIMERA) at
the University of Johannesburg today (24 April 2014).

This is the fifth new DST-NRF CoE launched by this year.  The other four
are for (i) Food Security, (ii) Scientometrics and Science, Technology
and Innovation Policy, (iii) Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, and
(iv) Human Development.  There are now 14 DST-NRF CoEs.

CIMERA, which is co-hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits),
is the first CoE to be hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Dr Albert van Jaarsveld CEO of the NRF said: “The launch of this centre,
as with the previous ones, highlights an important features of the
centres of excellence programme, which is its responsiveness to the needs
of the country, its people and ultimately humanity. As the managing
agency of the Centres of Excellence Programme we would like to
congratulate the University of Johannesburg and we look forward to seeing
the work that will emerge from this important centre.

CIMERA’s research focus is especially relevant to South Africa because it
will assimilate an integrated understanding of the nature of some of the
country’s major and minor mineral and fossil energy resources and their
geometallurgical characteristics.  This will ensure the sustainable
extraction of resources, while preventing and mitigating negative
environmental effects.  The emphasis is on integrating cutting-edge
academic research with strategic applications in wealth generation and
human resource development – not only in South Africa, but also the rest
of Africa.

The main focus of CIMERA is to train skilled economic geologists through
postgraduate research studies on mineral and energy resources, with a
particular, although not exclusive, focus on Africa.

CIMERA is built on the foundation of two world-class economic geology
research units in South Africa, namely the Palaeoproterozoic
Mineralization Centre at UJ and the Economic Geology Research Institute
at Wits.

Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology,
Advocate Michael Masutha, said: “The CoE will not only help expand
research and training of high-quality economic geologists, but will also
serve to expand collaboration with private mining and energy companies in
South Africa.  This is clear when you consider the good response from the
mining and energy companies that we have invited to witness this day with
us.”

Deputy Minister Masutha challenged the new centre of excellence to work
hard to build a representative cohort of South African researchers.  “I
challenge CIMERA to lead by example in this regard.  This is particularly
important because the mining industry has for so long been seen as an
industry that exploits black workers.  In fact, most of the backbreaking
jobs on the mines are still done by black men, and most of the mid and
top-level jobs are held by white men.  Encouraging black people and women
to enter research careers in this area would be a good start towards a
more equitable situation.”

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