Newmont donates first Geophysical equipment to University of Ghana

Newmont Ghana's Exploration and Geophysics Department has donated some geophysics equipment to the Geology Department of the University of Ghana to improve the teaching of geophysics.

The equipment, valued at 50,000, dollars is the first of its kind in Ghana.

The equipment, used mainly in electrical geophysical surveys, include two Zonge receivers and their accessories, rechargeable lead acid, non-spillable battery and charger, circuit board and manuals for the geophysical data processers.

Mr Jacob Gyan Asare, Tenement Exploration Manager of Newmont Ghana who made the presentation, said the donation was in line with Newmont's values of demonstrating leadership in social responsibility and also developing people in pursuit of excellence.

Professor Daniel Asiedu, the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the Department of Earth Science, commended Newmont for coming to the aid of the students.

“Without physically seeing equipment like these, it is usually difficult for the students to understand and appreciate what we teach them “, the Dean said.

He added that Newmont's continuous support to the faculty was impressive and the donation would help train quality human resource for the extractive industry.

Mr Thomas Tsiboah, a Senior Geoscientist at Newmont, gave a background on the equipment and said geophysical data analysis was the answer to the nation's current challenge of exploring under the land surface.

“The donated equipment will help students have a practical feel of what they read about in the text books” he added.

According to Newmont Ghana, it has over the years shown great support to education in Ghana, among which include US500,000 dollars support in 2010 for the University of Mines, Tarkwa.

The mining giant through its Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF); has provided over 2,300 scholarships to students in its Ahafo operational area to pursue secondary and tertiary education.

Newmont Ghana has also instituted an apprenticeship program to educate highly skilled technicians to meet operational maintenance requirement of the mining industry. This program has since 2005 produced over 45 technicians at a cost of 25,000 dollars per student over a four-year period of study.