Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT. 

Preamble

Mining in Africa, as in the rest of the world,has changed from simply balancing production targets with cost control to a complex set of interrelationships including safety, health, the environment, sustainable development and proactive stakeholder management. This programme is aimed at providing an interdisciplinary postgraduate qualification that highlights the critical factors of sustainable development in the context of mining and minerals processing in Africa; including an understanding of, and a sensitivity and progressive approach to, managing and interacting with communities, environmental challenges, safety cultures, health-related issues and regulatory frameworks.

Programme Description

This two-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree is offered by the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town, through the Department of Chemical Engineering, and accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of South Africa. Candidates are required to complete advanced study by coursework with a total value of 60 credits,and a research dissertation with a value of 120 credits.

Objectives

This MPhil degree aims to educate and train graduates who can develop knowledge at an advanced level in and around the African mining industry, through research. In particular, it aims to:

  • Impart a high-level understanding of, and a sensitivity and progressive approach to, the critical factors of sustainable development in the context of mining and minerals processing in Africa.
  • Develop an appreciation of the inter-relationships between safety, health, the environment, economic development and proactive stakeholder management, and the concomitant integration of technical skills, ethics and global citizenship.
  • Promote experimentation with interdisciplinary and systemic approaches to environmental protection and socio-economic development in the context of geo-extractive industries in Africa.

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Admission Requirements and Procedures

This programme targets graduates from across a spectrum of disciplines, who have an interest in pursuing or advancing their careers in the field of mining and minerals beneficiation in a variety of areas e.g. geologists, engineers, economists, planners, lawyers, regulators, health & safety specialists, environmental officers, social scientists, etc.

The basic entry requirement is a four-year Bachelor’s degree or an Honours degree in any relevant field. HND (Higher National Diploma) or its equivalent embodying relevant specialization will be considered as a basis for entry, subject to appropriate experience. The number of students accepted into the programme in any year will be restricted by the resource capacity of the programme. Selection is based on an applicant's academic record; the duration, level and relevant work experience; and the availability of a suitable programme and research project supervisor. In keeping with the inter- and cross-disciplinary nature of this programme, selection is also be aimed at promoting diversity amongst the students in terms of fields of study, expertise and/or experience.

In order to be accepted onto this programme, candidates are required to submit a 1000 word statement of interest in the Master's programme, together with a CV, to the programme convener Associate Professor Jennifer Broadhurst (jennifer.broadhurst@uct.ac.za). This statement should include a motivation for attending the course and a short statement on the area(s) the candidate is considering for the research dissertation. 

Applicants for the 2022 will be accepted until the 5 November 2021.

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Course Delivery

Core courses are delivered in blocks within the first year of study, using both face-to-face and on-line modes of delivery. The research project accounts for 67% of the total course credits for the Masters degree, and is developed within the first year of study and undertaken on a full time basis within the second year, through the Department of Chemical Engineering. Inter-disciplinary research is promoted through the joint supervision of student dissertations across faculties and universities

Course Description Mode of Delivery Credits
Core Courses  
Mineral Resources and Sustainable Development On-line course delivered over 8 weeks 16
Strategic Social Engagement Practice Face-to-face block course delivered over one week. 16
Environmental Stewardship in Mining & Minerals Beneficiation Mixed mode of delivery, with a site visit.    12
Research Communication and Methodology

On-line course delivered over 4 weeks

16
Sustainable Development in Africa Internship Practical 0
Dissertation Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town 120

* In accordance with the HEQF model, 10 hours is equivalent to 1 credit, with contact/lecture time accounting for approximately 1/5 of total time.

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Fees and Financial Support

Course fees for the two-year MPhil programme are estimated at R 76 542.00, with fees of R42 221.00 in year 1 and R34 321.00 in year 2, excluding any international student fees.  Fees include costs of a field trip in year 1, but do not cover internship (transport, accommodation, subsistence etc.) and research (fieldwork, laboratory running costs, analytical costs etc.) costs. Transport to and from the lecture venues will also be to the candidate’s own cost.

Funding is available on a competitive basis to assist with fees, living and research costs. Applicants are advised to contact the course administrator or prospective supervisors for further details regarding financial arrangements and funding opportunities

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Course Modules

  • Mineral Resources and Sustainable Development

    This is an on-line course designed and developed by Minerals to Metals with contributions from national and international experts. It is delivered over a period of weeks, with an assignment to be completed within 8 weeks of course completion.

     

    Rationale

    Minerals are essential for human wellbeing and are critical to economic development. However, minerals are a non-renewable resource that is finite and hence their acquisition must be reasonable and economical. The extraction of minerals from the earth presents opportunities, challenges and risks to sustainable development. Africa is well-endowed with mineral resources that could be used to drive economic growth and improve quality of human life while preserving the local environment. However, the continent lags behind in development and is not achieving sustainable extraction of its mineral resources. This course looks at the sustainable development of mineral resources and it is crucial for captains of industry to learn and understand the challenges and opportunities presented in the exploitation of mineral resources as well as the potential to create linkages for the growth of supporting industries and diversification of the economy. The course will also look at where there are still challenges that prevent the minerals sector from being a welcome contributor to sustainable development.

     

    Course Aims

    • Introduce sustainable development in the context of the development of mineral resources.
    • Understanding how mining is contributing to Sustainable Development. What is mining’s role as an agent of development?
    • Understand the positive and negative impacts of mining along the value chain (from exploration to post mine closure & end use of products)
    • To explore current best practices and new frontiers in the context of sustainable development of mineral resources.
    • Understand the role players in the mining sector – their responsibilities and current responses
    • Understand the stakeholder engagement, partnerships and critical collaborations necessary to achieve sustainability in the minerals sector
    • To explore the mechanisms in place to monitor and evaluate sustainable development
     

    Learning outcomes

    At the end of the course, students should be able to;

    • Understand the underpinning principles and models of relevance to the sustainable development of mineral resources (which include climate smart mining, responsible resourcing, green mining, resource efficiency etc).
    •  
    • Identify the different phases of mine life and the sustainability opportunities and impacts associated with each of these phases.
    • Understand what elements need to come together to achieve sustainable development in the minerals sector.
    • Understand elements of sustainability reporting, performance management tools, RMI measuring, monitoring and reporting.
    • Unpack and demonstrate understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different stake holders in achieving sustainable development in the minerals sector

     

     

    Course Content

    • Mining context: fundamentals of mining; mine life cycles; geopolitical and socio-economic factors in the African context
    • Sustainability & Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development models, African Mining Version, Sustainable Development Goals & the role of mining
    • Environmental & Community Impacts: Legacy and current challenges (mine waste, water, dust, land, energy)
    • Governance & Social Aspects: Social engagement tools and frameworks; legal frameworks and resource governance
    • Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining: status quo; challenges and opportunities; formalisation discourse
    • Mine Closure and Post-Closure Planning: legacy issues and current practices, socio-economic transitioning
    • Innovation and Future Frontiers: global initiatives; current best practice; circular economy; the future of mining
    • Performance Monitoring & Reporting: indicator frameworks, performance tools & protocols; data management
  • Strategic Social Engagement Practice

    This course is designed and coordinated by Elspeth Donovan of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership. The course is delivered largely through lectures, interactive sessions and group work, and is followed by a project task in which each student is required to apply the tools and practices developed in the course into their daily work practice.

    Rationale

    One implication of environmental change or resource scarcity is the increasing likelihood of conflict among people or nations. It thus becomes imperative to understand and be able to engage with complex challenges of environmental, social and economic that arises from the global call for a more sustainable future. In this course students will comprehend the principles of, and be able to develop and implement, strategic social engagement programmes and practices.

    Aims

    The aim of the course is to enable students to:

    • Make sense of the social and environmental context of an organisation;
    • Understand the mutual interaction between, and the impact on, the organisation and its social and environmental context;
    • Engage with and manage the relationships between an organisation and the communities and other social partners that populate its context;
    • Develop and implement strategic social engagement programmes and practices.

     

    Learning Outcomes

    This course is designed to build the capacity of all managers and professionals in organisations to respond effectively and innovatively to emerging system pressures and trends affecting the socio-economic development agenda. In the context of increasing societal expectations, the course aims to develop the ability of participants to engage positively with all stakeholders impacted by their organisation’s operations. After the course, the student is expected to:

    • Understand the emerging global pressures and trends, and their impact on mineral resource development.
    • Have the capacity to anticipate change and develop appropriate responses
    • Be able to engage with diverse perspectives
    • Be capable of designing, delivering and evaluating social development interventions
    • Exhibit enhanced dialogue skills, particularly within conflict situations
    • Be able to develop a framework for social performance and impact within his/her sphere of influence

     

    Course content

    • Community and Social Partner Assessment: developing an understanding of the social and environmental context of an organization; community theory: socio-cultural, economic, political structures, practices processes and behaviours; social impact assessment and evaluation; understanding the concept of “wicked problems”.
    • Community and Social Partners and the Communication Process: the communication process; communicating technical, social, political risk and crises issues and opportunities; information gathering and management tools.
    • Engaging Communities and Social Partners: Identifying and managing conflict and opportunities for engagement; understanding of the strategic nature of relationship management.
  • Environmental Stewardship in Mining & Minerals Beneficiation

    This course is convened by the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. Key lecturers include Professor Harro von Blottnitz and Associate Professor Jenny Broadhurst. This course provides exposure to the mining world and will offer students the opportunity to conduct case studies on real mine sites. Students are required to complete an assignment within 6-8 weeks of attendance.

    Rationale

    Despite the apparent commitment to improving its environmental performance, the mining and mineral industry still suffers from the same negative image that it had in the late 20th century, and many mining companies continue to find themselves embroiled in environmental controversies which threaten their license to operate and their access to natural capital. Natural resources are also becoming more valued and as a result the cost of using these resources is increasing dramatically and legislation governing their protection becoming more prolific and stringent. An understanding of the environmental challenges of particular relevance to mining and minerals beneficiation operations, and their broader significance in terms of the sustainable development of mineral resources, is becoming increasingly important for many professionals operating in this industry. Put bluntly, environmental stewardship no longer is a box-ticking exercise in which the already-decided on project and technology is shoe-horned into compliance format by the environmental management department – it requires a range of specialists to review their options and choices based on sound understanding of what is at stake.

     

    Aims

    The course aims to:
    i) review and deepen students’ understanding of environmental challenges of particular relevance to the mineral industry, with emphasis on the relationship between mining and minerals beneficiation activities and environmental impact categories;
    ii) Provide students with an opportunity to learn how environmental management and stewardship tools and approaches are used in the industry, leading to an ability to critique the effectiveness of pro-active and reactive uses thereof, and interpret what selected approaches mean for own professional practise.

     

    Course content

    • Overview of Relevant Environmental Issues: land use issues; solid waste management; noise/air pollution; effluent/water management/AMD; biodiversity conservation; global warming/climate change; socio-economic considerations – and interpretation of these relative to the ‘natural capital’ category of the five capitals approach.
    • Principles and Criteria for Environmentally Conscious Development of Mineral Resource: cradle to grave mine design and life cycle thinking; cleaner production; eco-efficiency/industrial ecology; material stewardship; carbon neutrality; multi-criteria vs environmental economics approaches to decision-making and trade-offs
    •  
    • Environmental Legislation and Guidelines, relevant international protocols; examples of key elements of national mining legislation in developed and developing nations (mining policy, mining code, provisions of environmental management)
    • Environmental Technologies and Innovations, incl. mine and process water treatment and recycling; noise and air pollution control; solid waste management; AMD management and prevention; operation, closure and rehabilitation of mine sites (including cost provision); alternative energy sources and efficient utilization of energy.
    • Environmental Measurement and Control Techniques, environmental monitoring and sampling techniques, environmental impact assessment and prediction.
    • Environmental Assessment, Auditing and Management incl. environmental impact assessment; strategic environmental assessment; environmental management systems (ISO 14000); auditing
  • Research Communication and Methodology

    This course is convened by the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The lecturers are Dr Elaine Govender and Associate Professor Jennifer Broadhurst. The course is delivered largely through on-line lectures and assignments, including the oral and written presentation of the research proposal.

    Aim

    The aim of this course is to provide postgraduate students with competency to execute meaningful research in a structured way, to critically analyse the results of this research and to communicate these results effectively. An additional objective of this course is to assist students in synthesizing and applying the knowledge gained from the taught modules to real-life case studies of relevance to the sustainable development of mineral resources in Africa.

     

    Learning Outcomes

    At the end of the course a student is expected to be able to:

    • Critically read and synthesize the relevant literature
    • Plan, develop and execute a meaningful research programme;
    • Communicate research outputs effectively.
    • Integrate and apply knowledge from different disciplines, stakeholders and sources to complex problems within the context of sustainable mineral resource development.

     

     

    Course Content

    • Literature review and synthesis skills
    • Research philosophy and methodologies
    • Research planning and hypothesis development
    • Structuring, writing and presentation of research outputs
    • Research tools and techniques
    • Developing and applying integrative knowledge
  • Sustainable Development in Africa Internship

    This is a non - credit bearing course, listed w ith the postgraduate course office of the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. As an academic offering, it is grounded in the realizations that sustainable development i) requires professionals to be able to negotiate disciplinary truth boundaries so as to minimize externalization of costs and damages to 3 rd parties or future generations; and ii) requires an understanding of the complexity of coupled social - ecological systems, which can only partly be learnt in the classroom.

     

    Aim

    • To facilitate field-based inter-disciplinary learning especially through on-site structured engagements with problem-solving approaches in the actual developmental setting of a practicing organization;
    • To provide an opportunity to experience possible career options in the area of sustainable development;
    • To make a service contribution that will not only be useful to a practicing organization, but also contribute to the university’s social responsiveness objectives.
     

    Course Structure

    The nature, content and aims of the internship will be tailored to the needs of the student and will be designed in consultation with the course convenor and research supervisor. The student will keep a logbook and will complete an internship report for the host and for submission to the University. This report should be between 1500 and 2500 words and provide details of the host organisations and mentor, a description of the functions performed and a personal reflection on practical learnings, experience gained and application of theoretical knowledge and programme teachings. The academic time spent on the course, incl. the academic preparation, preparation of the report and theoretical reflections (as recorded in the logbook) must be equivalent to approximately 80 hours of student time.

 

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Programme Schedule

Date Course Mode of Delivery

Year 1

February/March

Research Methodology and Communication Online
April - May  Mineral Resources and Sustainable Development Online
July Strategic Social Engagement Practice Face-to-face
September - October Environmental Stewardship and Field Trip Mixed mode

Year 2

January - December 

Research dissertation and internship

n/a

* Note that students will be expected to work towards their assignments and research dissertation in the months between courses during year 1.

Master of Philosophy

Specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development

A new trans-disciplinary and inter-institutional Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree course, offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT.

Contact

Assoc/Prof Jennifer Braudhurst

Phone: +27 21 650 1897
Fax: +27 21 650 5501
jennifer.broadhurst@uct.ac.za