Curtin University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with the École Nationale d’Ingénieurs Abderhamane Baba Touré in Bamko, Mali, opening up possibilities for academic links between the two countries in the field of mining engineering.
After a delegation led by the Mali Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Me Mountaga Tall, and Malian Ambassador to Australia, Mahamane Elhadji Bania Touré, initially visited Western Australia (WA) in December 2015, further talks resulted in the Curtin MoU signing earlier this month.
Curtin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor of International, Professor Seth Kunin, said the MoU recognised Curtin’s ability to assist in developing a mining engineering curriculum at the École Nationale d’Ingénieurs Abderhamane Baba Touré.
“While the agreement is still in the very early stages of development, we are hoping that the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin will be able to assist with the capacity building of mining engineering education in Mali through academic training opportunities at the Curtin WA School of Mines,” Professor Kunin said.
The Honorary Consul for the Republic of Mali in WA, Max de Vietri, said WA exploration and mining expertise could be adapted to suit Mali’s needs.
“Mali and WA share similar geological strata as well as climatic conditions and therefore have similar prospectivity in terms of mineral potential, as well as similarities in their surface expression,” Dr de Vietri said.
Mali is the third largest gold mining country in Africa. It also has reserves of bauxite, iron ore, manganese and precious stones such as diamonds.
“Opportunities for Malian academics to train in mining engineering at the Curtin WA School of Mines could provide invaluable opportunities and we are looking forward to exploring these possibilities with Curtin University,” Dr de Vietri said.
