The mining industry has taken heed of the need to develop and nurture a constant stream of graduates that can develop solutions in problem areas and has, as a result, contributed significantly to research at the University of the Witwatersrand’s (Wits’) School of Geosciences, says Wits geophysics lecturer Dr Musa Manzi.

Manzi, who is one of the first two black South Africans to obtain a PhD in geophysics, is currently involved in researching new ways of processing and interpreting historic three-dimensional (3D) seismic reflection data acquired by gold miners Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti in the Witwatersrand basin.

Manzi explains that the Wits School of Geosciences – one of ten schools in the faculty of Science at Wits – is the only school in Southern Africa offering specialist degrees in geophysics at honours, master’s and doctoral level.

As a result, he says, he is dedicating himself to the training and supervision of future geoscience students to fill the current shortage of geoscientists in South Africa.

As one of very few 3D seismic reflection academics, Manzi’s goal in the next five years is to establish a seismic reflection laboratory at Wits to help train postgraduate students and grow the field of specialist academics.

France-based geophysical services company CGG has been the first to provide seed funding, workstations, processing soft-ware licences and training towards the establishment of such a laboratory. “We are also developing partnerships with other industries, for example, energy group Shell South Africa, to provide seed funding to build the laboratory and support students.

Manzi tells Mining Weekly that he hopes to attract students from the applied mathematics, computer science and mine engineering disciplines and train them in the field of 3D seismic refection interpretation.

The aim of the laboratory is to develop new ways of interpreting 3D seismic reflection data and the subsequent modelling of the structurally complex substructure of the earth, which will benefit the hard rock mining and oil and gas industries. “My aim is to have the applied mathematics and computer science students develop the necessary 3D seismic reflection data interpretation software and mathematical algorithms necessary to enhance 3D seismic interpretation, while the geology and mining engineering students interpret and model the data.”

It is also imperative that the mining and oil and gas industries become role-players in the laboratory by advising on the challenges that need to be addressed within the laboratory for the benefit of the industry.

More than nine research papers have already been published by Wits on the 3D seismic reflection dataset, says Manzi, adding that much more can still be done with the data from a research perspective.