The Federal Government has committed almost $8m to fund two mining research centres in The University of Adelaide and The University of Sydney, which will train the next generation of data scientists.
The postgraduate students will be trained to work in the resource sector to address major challenges within the industry.
"New approaches to data analysis will allow for an improved understanding of how the resource sector can mitigate risk and impact, while in turn preparing Australia’s resource economy for a long-term approach to mining,” said Vice-Chancellor of The University of Sydney, Michael Spence.
The grant is part of the Australian Resource Council’s (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre scheme, which promotes postgraduate research in industries that are vital to Australia’s future, including manufacturing, cyber-security, agribusiness, health care, and mining.
“We need to ensure that we are turning our research into real-world benefits because Australia’s research sector will be a key driver of jobs and productivity,” said Federal Minister for Education, Dan Tehan.
The University of Sydney will use its $4m grant to establish an $11m centre to apply data science to model the long-term impacts of resource use on Australia’s economy, society, and environment.
Skills developed by the centre will help the mining industry address challenges including water storage and biodiversity loss.
Professor Sally Cripps, who will lead the new Data Analytics for Resources and Environments Centre, says its aim is to help the sector make sustainable, evidence-based decisions where there may be high levels of uncertainty.
“Drought is causing untold heartache for farmers and testing conditions for the management of water supplies everywhere,” Professor Cripps said. “There has never been a better, or more important time to rethink the way we do this.”
ARC has also pledged $3.7m to the University of Adelaide’s Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources in partnership with the University of South Australia and Curtin University, which will fund three postdoctoral researchers and 16 PhD students—the next generation of mining sector scientists and engineers
“The Training Centre will aim to maximise productivity, reduce risk on product quality, and deliver highly qualified people,” said Professor Peter Dowd, who will head the University’s program.
It will deploy advanced sensors and data analytics to optimise product quality and resource recovery.
“The benefits of the research will be economic and environmental,” said Professor Dowd.
Professor Mike Brooks, Vice-Chancellor, Research, University of Adelaide, contends, “Our high-tech training centre will help shape the very future of mining operations in Australia.”
The ARC grant aligns with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’s National Resources Statement from 2019, which sets an agenda to strengthen the resource sector and deliver better outcomes for communities.
"A key part of last year’s National Resources Statement was to better focus the sector’s innovation and R&D on long-term, sectoral growth. These new centres will dovetail in with those plans," Federal Minister for Resources, Matt Canavan, said.
The University of Adelaide’s data science program will launch within weeks, while the Federal Government is expected to announce more ARC grants in the coming months.