The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has officially commissioned its Underground Demonstration Mine on campus.
The facility was unveiled by the Immediate Past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Richard Amankwah, in the presence of Mr. Joseph Frimpong, the Chief Mine Inspector of the Minerals Commission, signaling a major step toward producing fully Ghanaian-led mining engineers who are ready to take charge of the industry from day one.
The commissioning of this model mine marks the culmination of years of strategic planning and advocacy by the university’s leadership.
For decades, UMaT has been the bedrock of mining talent in Ghana, yet one critical gap persisted: the lack of a dedicated, on-campus facility where students could translate classroom theories into tangible, real-world mining operations. The new Underground Demonstration Mine is designed to bridge that exact divide.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Prof. Richard Amankwah, who championed the project throughout his tenure, emphasized the facility’s transformative potential. “This demonstration mine is not just a training facility; it is a declaration of Ghana’s readiness to take full ownership of its mining sector,” he stated.
“We are moving beyond producing graduates who are theoretically sound to engineers who have physically drilled, blasted, and navigated an underground environment before they even step into the industry”.
The Underground Demonstration Mine is designed to serve as a comprehensive practical training ground for UMaT students and faculty.
It will allow mining engineering students to engage in hands-on exercises covering the full spectrum of underground mining operations, including drilling, blasting, mucking, support systems, stopping, and ventilation.
Currently, the Department of Mining Engineering offers a four-year degree programme aimed at producing graduates capable of exploiting mineral deposits using both surface and underground techniques.
The new mine will ensure that these graduates are not just familiar with the concepts but are proficient in their execution, effectively reducing the learning curve when they enter the workforce.
The facility also aligns with the broader national agenda of local content and indigenization in the mining sector. By training engineers who are already proficient in underground operations, UMaT is positioning Ghana to rely less on expatriate technical expertise, paving the way for a future where Ghanaian engineers lead all facets of the country’s mining operations.
The presence of Mr. Joseph Frimpong, Chief Mine Inspector of the Minerals Commission, underscored the regulatory and national importance of the project. His participation highlighted the Minerals Commission’s commitment to supporting educational initiatives that promote responsible and safe mining practices.
Mr. Frimpong, who has been a vocal advocate for rigorous safety standards in the industry, expressed his optimism about the facility’s impact on safety culture. “This demonstration mine will instill a culture of safety and precision in our young engineers from the very beginning of their training,” he noted. “It is one of the most significant investments we can make in the future of our industry.”
The commissioning comes on the heels of a presidential directive from President John Dramani Mahama, who recently ordered the Minerals Commission to expedite the licensing process for UMaT’s model small-scale mining project.
The President had expressed dissatisfaction with bureaucratic delays, urging the authorities to support the university’s efforts to translate academic theory into practice.
The establishment of the Underground Demonstration Mine is a core component of UMaT’s broader vision to become a centre of excellence for mining and technology education in Africa. The university has long pursued opportunities to integrate hands-on mining operations into its academic programs to better prepare graduates for the industry.
By producing graduates who are job-ready and deeply familiar with local geological conditions and operational challenges, UMaT is ensuring that the next generation of mining engineers is capable of leading Ghana’s mining sector to unprecedented heights.
This initiative solidifies UMaT’s reputation as the premier institution for mining education in the country and a key driver of Ghana’s industrialization agenda.
As Ghana seeks to maximize the benefits of its mineral wealth, the need for highly skilled, locally trained engineers has never been greater. With the commissioning of the Underground Demonstration Mine, UMaT has provided the ultimate answer.
By Ebenezer Atiemo
