DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective 1 Increase staff capacity Objective statement Ensure that MAC has sufficient capacity to execute R&D, manufacturing and commercial work by increasing the head-count of suitably skilled SET employees to 23 persons (through recruitment, head-hunting, joint research and fast tracking employees) by the end of FY2021. Impact: Improve MAC’s research profile to enable intensified R&D Baseline Current baseline is 22 SET employees. Objective 2 Improve Staff Retention Objective statement The objective of this programme is to retain and grow the skills base of existing staff. Much of the efforts will align with the Human Capital Development Programme (furthering studies, professorships, career development plans etc.) being formulated at corporate level. A distinct initiative by the division as part of furthering studies involves bursars completing the core modules of the UP honours course in control systems on a part-time basis as part of their Graduate Development Programme (GDP). This will bolster the confidence of new graduates and motivate them to remain in their present fields. Another initiative involves investigating options for alternative modes of employment such as establishment of “satellite offices” for those staff planning to emigrate, or have recently emigrated, to support project execution globally. The objective will be to establish what is possible, should the need arise. Impact: Retention of relevant skill force to support industry and execute R&D to plan Baseline GDP excludes an option of furthering studies. All staff are currently based in one office in Randburg. Objective 1 Improve Competitive Advantage Objective statement This programme is aimed at lowering the barrier to entry for MAC products and services (by developing low cost versions of equipment and design attractive pricing models) by the end of FY2023. Impact 1: Opening up new markets (particularly junior miners), and accelerating adoption and market penetration. Impact 2: Increased sales of new products Impact 3: Stable and more predictable service support revenue Baseline Junior miners struggle to justify investment to purchase MaC’s instruments at the same price used for large mining companies Current pricing model is an outright purchase of unbundled products (usually at high cost), with optional service contract, resulting in ~R30 million in P&S sales.
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Develop a capable
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective 1 Ensure that the programme has transformed and diversified workforce Objective statement Increase the number of SET employees to 14 Baseline Currently, there are 10 SET staff in mineralogy Objective 2 Skilled workforce with higher qualifications, Doctoral degrees Objective statement Increase the total number SET staff with Doctorate degrees from 2 to 6 Baseline There are 2 SET staff with Doctorate Objective 3 Skilled workforce with higher qualifications, Masters degrees Objective statement Total number SET staff with Masters degrees from 4 to 8 Baseline There are 4 staff with Masters degree Objective Income from Products and Services Objective statement Ensure the division attracts and retain its clients to maintain the revenue of above R10 M per annum Baseline The current commercial revenue for FY 2019/2020 is R 9 M Objective Ensure that mineralogy has the state of the art instruments Objective statement Instrument availability and less breakdowns. The sample preparation laboratory will have to be automated in order to keep up with the automated SEMs. Baseline Currently, Mintek has 4 Autosems, 1 SEMS, 1 XRD, 1 Micro-XRF, 1 LA-ICP-MS and Sample Preparation instruments
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Develop a capable mineral economics workforce Objective statement MESU will support Mintek’s goals to attract, develop and retain a globally competitive workforce, particularly in the fields of science, engineering and technology, with the requisite expertise and capabilities to drive and support rigorous research and analysis, specifically in the fields of mineral economics and techno-economic feasibility studies Baseline In MESU, 75% (6) of the staff are currently in possession of a Masters (5) or PhD (1) qualifications. One staff member is pursuing a PhD and is expected to graduate in 2021. No additional MSc and PhDs are expected in the short-term. Priority will rather be afforded to building capability in techno-economic feasibility assessments, data analysis, complex modelling and simulation development. Objective Increase revenue streams from new and existing services Objective statement Maintain financial sustainability through the establishment of a pipeline of commercial projects and research collaborations Baseline The baseline is currently very small; however the goal is to increase commercial revenue component to comprise 55% of the Division’s revenues by 2023
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Recruit and develop SET staff to improve capacity to deliver on strategic programmes. Objective statement Recruit at least eight (8) senior staff members across Advanced Materials’ groups to lead and direct research and commercialisation/innovation. At least three junior SET employees are to be second- ed to industry for experience enhancement. Two junior SET employees are to be mentored by se- nior academics to enhance their research experience. This is done in order to arrest the juniorisation of AMD’s research staff and to augment AMD’s skills to enhance its readiness to manufacture and commercialize its R&D outcomes Baseline The current staff, although sufficiently educated, lack the requisite industry and research experi- ence. There is a less than the critical number of senior and experienced researchers, inclusive of those with manufacturing and commercial experience. Objective Ensure financial sustainability through revenue diversification. Objective statement The Advanced Materials Division is to accelerate efforts to attract contract research revenue from local and international industry through contract research to reduce the percentage reliance of Contract Research funding to 65%. The division is to submit funding applications to other funding sources such as the European Union’s Horizon 2020, US funding agencies and other local pub- lic funding agencies. Finally, Advanced Materials will seek to generate revenue from the sale of high-value manufactured products, such as the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits, nano-sized gold colloidal solution products, gold and platinum catalyst products and the sale of various specialized technical services to an array of academic and commercial clients. Baseline The division is currently highly dependent on 70% of its revenue from the DSI-funded programmes. This over-reliance on a single revenue source presents a high risk to the financial sustainability of the division. The revenue target comprising Science Vote, Contract Research and Products and Services is projected to be about R75 – R80M. GOAL 5 DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A WORLD-CLASS RDI INFRASTRUCTURE Objective Acquisition of new infrastructure, replacement and refurbishing of existing infrastructure to support strategic programmes. Objective statement Acquiring computational packages (modelling and simulation) to support all Advanced Materials’ research programmes will include collaboration with the Centre for High-performance Computing, the acqui...
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Create an innovation-focused performance culture Objective statement To xxxxxx a culture of performance and innovation, through learning and growth by attainment of higher degree qualifications by the Divisional staff members; with 3 staff members obtaining Master's degrees and 4 staff obtaining PhDs by 2025. Baseline The Division currently has 24% (5 people) of its staff with Masters (4) or PhD (1)
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Developing and maintaining a world-class research team tailored to the HMD value proposition. Objective statement Develop a team of researchers that are able to deliver applicable technologies and scientific output at a SET ratio of 3 researchers per output by increasing the number of world class researchers through development and recruitment over a three year period. Baseline 3 PhDs 2 Masters 2 journal papers per annum (base of 12 researchers) 3 book chapters per annum (base of 12 researchers) 4 conference papers (from a baseline of 12 researchers) 1 discoveries 3 patents Objective 1 Offering high value-to-cost and diversified services to industry Objective statement Developing new and digital services to support and grow the commercial revenue stream. Modelling capacity to support and grow the business development for the division. Baseline 1 PhD modeller Objective 2 Increase revenue earning capacity Objective statement Appointment of experienced senior researchers to increase revenue earning capacity to build a SET capacity from 4 to 6 senior researchers able to lead research teams. Baseline 2 PhD 2 Masters Objective Establishing and maintaining fit for purpose infrastructure Objective statement Securing funding for flexible and fully instrumented pilot plant facility for the verification of process models and staff development. Baseline Mintek funded continuous POX pilot plant (R10) MTEF funded Automated Solvent extraction pilot plant (R15M) Mintek funded membrane pilot scale test rig (R2M)
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Recruit and develop SET staff to improve capacity to deliver on Strategic Programmes Objective statement Recruit 3 senior staff members across AMD’s groups to lead and direct research and commercialization/innovation. 3 junior SET employees to be seconded to industry for experience enhancement. 2 junior SET employees to be mentored by senior academics to enhance their research experience. Baseline The current staff, although sufficiently educated, lack the requisite industry and research experience. There is a less that critical number of senior and experienced researchers, inclusive of those with commercial experience Objective Ensure financial sustainability through revenue diversification Objective statement AMD to accelerate efforts to attract contract research revenue from local and international industry through contract research to reduce the percentage reliance to 65%. The Division to submit funding applications to other funding sources such as EU-H2020, US funding agencies and other local public funding. Finally, AMD will seek to generate revenue due to the sale of high value manufactured products, such as the RDT kits. Baseline The Division is currently highly depended on 70% of its revenue from the DSI-funded programmes. This over-reliance on a single revenue source is high risk towards the financial sustainability of the Division Objective Acquisition of new infrastructure, replacement and refurbishing of existing infrastructure to support strategic programmes Objective statement Acquisition of Computational packages (Modelling & Simulation) to support all AMD research programmes – this will include collaboration with the CHPC.; Acquisition of a Lithography equipment to support ISO 3 research facility; and refurbish the foundry thermo-mechanical treatment infrastructure Baseline There is currently aging infrastructure that is costly to maintain and impacts negatively on productivity. In other areas, there is lack of critical infrastructure to support existing strategic programmes. The Small Scale Mining and Beneficiation programmes focuses on advancing small scale mining sector in South Africa. This sector is characterised by limited resources, primitive mining methods, lack of understanding of mining laws, inefficient and unsafe processing methods and other developmental challenges. Mintek promotes the small scale mining sector through minerals processing focusing on extractive technology development, small scale operational support,...
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective 1 Grow the number of qualified SET employees in the division. Objective statement Establish a team that has a majority of employees with a minimum of an honours degree for both the commercial and the research units within the next three years to ensure high-quality outputs and a sustainable financial position. The key focus will be to upskill SET staff through integrated learning opportunities towards postgraduate degrees. In addition, to provide training opportunities to staff to develop their expertise in analysis field (e.g. courses such as measurement uncertainty, etc. Baseline There are currently 12 SET employees, of which only four have PhD degrees and four have master’s degrees. Objective 2 Establish new pipeline studentship/bursars/internship Objective statement Establish a new pipeline of student team that are studying towards Masters and PhD degrees in order to strengthen the research and development strategy within the next three years to ensure high-quality outputs. Baseline New initiative within the division Objective 2 Establish new analytical services and products Objective statement Identify areas of opportunities and expand ASD services, including products that support Mintek strategy in generation of new business areas. Expanding of product range that ASD offers Baseline Most of the services offered by XXX, have not changed for over 15 years.
DEVELOP A CAPABLE WORKFORCE. Objective Increasing the level of qualification of the SET staff Objective statement Accelerate the development of SET staff to deliver applicable technologies and scientific outputs. Upskilling, training and skills transfer within the Division on SET staff must be initiated. MPD must increase the total number of PhDs to 6, and for MSc to 10. Baseline Currently, the total number of PhD is 3, and MSc is 6. Also, currently 2 Papers per year are produced, 1 Discovery pre year is being made.
