The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has commissioned a demonstrative underground mine to give students practical exposure to underground mining operations and strengthen skills development.

The facility, constructed within the basement of the university’s administration block, is intended to serve as a practical training and research space for students and professionals in the mining-related disciplines.

The initiative was started by the immediate past Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Professor Richard Amankwah, after identifying the potential of the largely unused basement space.

Explaining the idea behind the project, Prof. Amankwah said the basement was originally designed for the storage of materials but was converted into a demonstrational mine to create opportunities for hands-on training.

The facility is expected to allow students to experience features of an underground mine without having to leave the university campus.

For Geomatic Engineering students, the facility provides an opportunity to undertake underground surveying, take points for mine planning and understand how underground locations relate to corresponding points on the surface.

Mining students, meanwhile, can gain practical exposure to underground mine structures, including stopes and the handling of blasted material.

The Chief Mine Inspector of the Minerals Commission, Joseph Frimpong, described the facility as a significant investment in the future of Ghana’s mining industry.

He said the demonstration mine would serve as a “living laboratory”, enabling students to gain hands-on experience while bridging the gap between classroom theory and practical mining.

Mr Frimpong also identified the facility as a potential hub for research and innovation, where students and researchers can develop solutions to emerging challenges in the mining sector.

He urged students to view their education as an opportunity to contribute to national development, stressing that the skills acquired through the facility should help build industries that uplift communities, protect the environment and strengthen the country.

The Minerals Commission official further called on UMaT to use the facility to support Ghana’s ambition of becoming a leader in sustainable mining while producing engineers who are globally competitive and committed to national development.

The commissioning forms part of UMaT’s efforts to strengthen practical training and better prepare graduates for the demands of Ghana’s mining industry.