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Thursday March 28, 2024

Occupational health & safety in mines underlined

By Bureau report
June 30, 2022

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a one-day seminar here on Wednesday said occupational health and safety in mines were critical to our survival as everything depended on mining engineering.

The seminar was organised by the Society of Mining Engineers (SME) in collaboration with the Inspectorate of Mines, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It was aimed at highlighting issues and challenges faced by the Mines industry to create awareness of professional ethics and safety courses.

Secretary for Mines and Minerals, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Humayun Khan, was the chief guest.

In his address, he said mine owners as entrepreneurs, government, mine workers and academia are the main stakeholders that are critical to the sustainable development of the mines industry.

However, there is a need for implementers rather than planners, and to fulfil that there is a need to get support from academia as universities are the breeding grounds of innovative ideas.

He assured support of the Mines and Minerals Department, KP to the Mining engineering graduates for their projects having market utility. University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Iftikhar Hussain praised the SME and Inspectorate of Mines, KP for conducting the seminar.

He said the main issue in the mines industry is the lack of standard quality of minerals and gems.

The vice-chancellor said they are endowed with tremendous metallic and non-metallic natural minerals and are not able to exploit them fully.

He urged the participants to launch joint projects that have artificial intelligence technology to add value to the mines industry.

Dr Iftikhar Hussain assured full support to the Department of Mines and Minerals, KP for carrying out joint research projects and provision of equipment at the state-of-the-art laboratories at the Centre for Gems and Jewelry and Mining Engineering Department.

Dr Ishaq Ahmad, Chairman, Mining Engineering Department, said as one of the oldest departments of UET Peshawar is accredited under the outcome-based education by the Pakistan Engineering Council.

He said the department has brilliant graduates who are serving in government departments and contributing to the mining industry.

Fazle Raziq, Chief Inspector, Mines Department KP, said occupational health and safety in mines is critical to our survival as everything is dependent upon mining engineering.