INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GEOLOGY, MINING, MINERAL AND GROUNDWATER

RESOURCES OF SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

(11-13th July, 2017, Livingstone, Zambia)

MINUTES OF THE 7th LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE (LOC) MEETING HELD ON 17th
FEBRUARY 2017 AT 10:00HRS IN THE SCHOOL OF MINES BOARDROOM, LUSAKA.

PRESENT

Dr. O.N. Sikazwe Conference Convener (Chairperson)

Dr. B. Besa Co-conference Convener
Prof. P. R. K. Chileshe Member - CBU
Dr. A.H Ahmed Member-Geology
Mr. C. Phiri Asst. Secretary, Conference Secretariat (Geology)

1. OPENING REMARKS

The Chairperson opened the meeting at 10:15 hours and welcomed all members present.

2. APOLOGIES

Prof. L. van Rooy Member-IAEG

Prof. B. N. Upreti Member-UNZA, Geology
Prof. C. Chama Member-UNZA, Metallurgy & Mineral Processing
Dr. K. Banda Conference Secretary-UNZA, Geology
Mr. C. Muswilwa Member-Ministry of Mines & Minerals Development

3. ADOPTION OF AGENDA

The agenda was formally adopted after being proposed by Dr. A. Ahmed and seconded by Dr. B. Besa.

4. CONSIDERATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

Minutes of the 7th LOC meeting held on 17th February 2017 were corrected and formally adopted after
being proposed by Dr. Sikazwe and seconded by Mr. Phiri.

5. MATTERS ARISING

No matters arising as all matters were to be discussed under progress on various issues.

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6. PROGRESS ON VARIOUS ISSUES

6.1 Website Updates

The third (3rd) circular is updated and reported that:

i. The conference link and link to the special session on engineering geology was available
on the IAEG website as well as on the South African and Nigerian group websites and
that e-mails have already been sent to all engineering geologists in South Africa. Plans
are also underway to disseminate similar e-mails to the Geotechnical and Mining
Engineers.
ii. Prof Scott Burns, President of IAEG was prepared to deliver a keynote address and
follow-ups were being made to obtain information on the details of the topic of the
keynote and his CV.
iii. Some members were still experiencing problem/difficulties in accessing the website link
locally especially in the Copperbelt
iv. It was agreed that Mr. M. Daka of CICT and Dr. Manchisi should be invited to serve on
the LOC as they would assist the LOC get weekly or monthly website updates.

6.2 Dissemination of Conference Information

i. The convener advertised the conference information to delegates that attended the 10th
AZMEC Forum held in February and presented a paper on how investing in academia and
industry interaction can help in improving skills development for the mining sector in Zambia.
ii. Agreed to advertise the conference in the Zambian News Papers such as Daily Mail and
Times of Zambia (To be treated with urgency).
iii. Agreed to make arrangements to appear on “ZNBC TV Morning Live in Lusaka and also on
“ZNBC TV Lunch Break” in Kitwe. Prof. Chileshe to help in getting contact for ZNBC in
Lusaka.
iv. Agreed to start with ZNBC TV Kwacha Good Morning Zambia and immediately follow it up
with ZNBC TV Lunch Break.
v. Agreed to circulate the conference information to School of Mines staff and postgraduate
students through the Assistant Dean (PG) and to the wider UNZA community via Public
Relations Office, asking for registration and abstracts/papers. Secretariat to write officially to
Public Relations next week.
vi. Agreed to request the Dean – School of Mines and Mineral Sciences at CBU to advertise the
conference through the local intranet and encourage academic staff and postgraduate
students submit a paper or abstracts

6.3 Updates of Conference Responses

i. Twenty nine (29) applicants had so far made their registration and abstract submissions online.
However, registration and submissions responses from our local members and entire nation were
still very low.
ii. As a result of (i) agreed to visit mining houses on the Copperbelt and in Northwestern Provinces.
iii. Two (2) abstracts had been received from UCT (Pro. Aubrey Mainza) through email one for a
“special session” and another for a keynote speech. Another had come from CBU on the
environment.

6.4 Special Sessions

i. Sessions on Gondwana, Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology were finalized in terms of

appointing a team and website uploads.

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 ii. Sessions on mining and development minerals needed to have teams appointed and materials
uploaded to the website.
iii. Agreed to make a follow-up with UNDP on the progress on the special session on development
minerals in terms of concept write-up and names of team members.
iv. Agreed to add a special session on metallurgy and mineral processing and to be led by UCT and
to request Prof Mainza for team members and theme for session.
v. Agreed to drop the session on impacts of mining due to information that academic staff from
Chez Republic and even from the JICA project were not ready.

6.5 Launch of International Geoscience Correlation Project (IGCP)

Informed that a decision on the project would be done in February 2017 and a response, whether
positive or negative, would be communicated by Prof. Kamona.

6.6 Funding Updates

i. Awaiting UNDP to provide guidance on the release of $30,000 set aside towards the conference.
ii. Received seed funding totaling ZMW45,000 from DRGS towards the conference.
iii. Agreed that the Dean would make another request of ZMW45,000 to DRGS as seed funding
allocation for 2017 if none of the other Schools made the claim.
iv. Agreed to make a formal request to VC-CBU for financial support to the conference. The
Conference Convener to write through the Dean – School of Mine’s office.

6.7 Expenditure decisions

Agreed to commit ZMW10,000 towards the visit of mining firms on the Copperbelt and in Northwestern
Provinces to market the conference as a way of increasing participation and attracting more financial
support. The delegation would comprise the Convener and the Co-Convener.

6.8 Updates from Collaborators

No updates.

6.9 Keynote speakers

Still awaiting to receive the profiles and keynote themes from the keynote speak. Agreed to resend the
emails circulated earlier. It was also agreed to invite Dr. Sixtus Mulenga to give a keynote speech on the
status of oil and gas exploration in Zambia and Dr. Beene to do a paper on development minerals in
Zambia. The Conference Convener to talk to the two first.

6.10 Publication of conference papers in journals

Informed that the Zambian Journal of Chemical Engineering (CBU), had agreed to publish some of the
conference papers. Agreed to officially write to the Chief Editor of the Journal requesting that a special
volume be dedicated to conference papers. The Conference Convener to write.

6.12 Invitation of Head of State

It was reported that the Head of State had agreed confirmed to be guest of honour at the conference.
Agreed that a copy of the correspondence from State House be requested from the Zambia Academy of
Sciences for record purposes. The Convener to talk to Prof Yambayamba (President for the Academy).

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6.13 Draft conference programme

The Convener to circulate the draft conference programme (options 1 and 2) to conference members for
comments by next week and that the programme would adjusted accordingly after receiving submissions
from the members

6.14 Next meeting

The Convener proposed that the next LOC meeting would be held on Friday 24 th March 2017 but
thereafter meetings would be more frequent.

7. CLOSING REMARKS

The Chairperson thanked all the members for their contributions and commitment and closed the
meeting.

Dr. K. Banda Dr. O.N. Sikazwe

SECRETARY CONVENER