39 JANUARY 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Mining Industry Requests University Support in the UK Adapted from Information by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining The Critical Minerals Association (CMA (UK)), Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3), Institute of Quarrying (IQ), Mineral Products Association (MPA), Mineral Products Qualification Council (MPQC) and Mining Association of the UK (MAUK) have penned an open letter to universities in the UK to provide information about the key role of materials, minerals, and mining in daily life. As global demand for resources required for modern life - including homes, transport systems, health care, and clean-energy technologies - continues to rise, moving to separate economies from reliance upon virgin resource use and toward a more circular economy will be crucial. The letter highlights in the short- to medium-term, this will not be sufficient. As extraction of resources will continue to play a role in meeting society’s demands, it is vital it is done in a responsible way which also considers environmental, carbon, and social impacts. This will only be possible if we can supply enough people who have the required skills, education, and training, with access to pathways into the industry and awareness of the employment opportunities available. At the same time, there are significant and growing skills gaps along minerals value chains and a decline in education and training provision, as highlighted by the IOM3 report The Talent Gap: Critical Skills for Critical Materials. The need to support a robust skills pipeline is clear. The collaboration set out a number of measures needed to mitigate the growing challenge of accessing skilled professionals, and showcased career opportunities in the industry. CMA (UK) founder and CEO Kirsty Benham said, “If the UK wants to develop expertise, innovation, and new businesses for critical minerals supply chains, it needs to build a talent pipeline of people skilled in geosciences, engineering, metallurgy, and local planning. Building a talent pipeline is vital to ensuring that we have the skills and expertise needed to solve the innovation challenges of tomorrow and to meet the demand required to sustain modern society.” MPA Chief Executive Jon Prichard highlighted the important role universities play in the future of the industry. “It is essential that UK universities continue to offer the educational programs that equip graduates with the knowledge to support the net-zero journey for sectors such as the mineral products industry, which underpin the fabric of society. Mineral products literally provide the foundations for infrastructure and housing . . . ” he explained. The letter concluded by asking the universities to provide evidence-based information to support informed decisionmaking and highlight the developing trends and growing drive for a high-quality education and training pipeline for a skilled, responsible, and sustainable materials, minerals, and mining workforce. MIN
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