The Department of Geological Engineering of the University of Mines and Technology at Tarkwa in the Western Region has taken delivery of 5 Petrologitical Microscopes worth One Hundred and Fifty Thousand (150,000) Ghana Cedis.
It was presented to the Department by the Perseus Mining Ghana Limited, a mining company operating in the Western and Central regions of Ghana.
The Department of the Geological Engineering is one of the Department of the University of Mines and Technology,UMAT trains students mainly for the Mining sector. It offers a four year Bachelor’ of Science programme in Geological Engineering and a two year Diploma programme in general drilling.
It also runs Masters and PhD programmes. The Department provides services in quarry, petroleum and mining.Apart from teaching and learning, the Department also provides consultancy services in areas including Geological studies, Hydrological assessment, Environmental issues related to mining, Management of acid mine drainage and water resources management.
For some years now the Department has been training students with only a few Petrological Microscopes and therefore made a request to some mining companies for support to equip the Department.
In response to the request Perseus Mining purchased five Microscopes for the Department. Making the presentation, the General Manager of the company, Stephen Kofi Ndede said the company responded to the university’s request because it trains about 60 percent of the manpower in the Mining sector.
The company therefore owes it a duty to resource the university for it to continue to training students for the Mining sector.
Receiving the Microscopes on behalf of the university, the vice chancellor, Prof. JSY.Kuma said the Microscopes which are used for the study of minerals and rocks will go a long way to help students in their work.
It will also enhance teaching and learning. He said the university trains both Ghanaians and foreigners students to work in the Mining industry.
He thanked the Perseus Mining Ghana Limited for the gesture and urged other companies to emulate.
Prof, Kuma said the Microscopes will be put to good and ensure that it last for more than 10 years. The university also presented some books to the company.
Story by GBC’s Louis Ofori’s
