Three-day symposium: ‘Exploiting coal, copper reserves can help overcome energy crisis’

Symposium to focus on advances in mineral resource exploration and extraction.

ISLAMABAD:

Exploiting Thar coal reserves and the copper and gold deposits of Reko Diq and Saindak can help Pakistan overcome its energy crisis, in addition to making the country self-sufficient with regards to the supply of these resources.

These were the views expressed by Dr Samar Mubarakmand, a renowned scientist and keynote speaker at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) on Monday as part of a three-day symposium on advances in mineral resource exploration, identification, extraction, processing and sustainable mining.

“Pakistan has an abundance of rich soil which, if exploited wisely, can help contribute to the country’s economic prosperity. However, this is also dependent on there being sensible policy makers,” he said.

Mubarakmand spoke about the performance of the scientists involved with the Thar coal project and presented a comparative analysis of Pakistan and India’s coal-generating capacity.

The University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa School of Mining Engineering Head Professor Frederick Cawood also addressed the symposium, highlighting mineral development in Pakistan.

“Mining has been a neglected area in Pakistan,” said NUST Rector Muhammad Asghar, who lauded the symposium organisers’ efforts to promote the induction of mining as a discipline in the academic curriculum.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.