Tsumeb
Thirty Polytechnic of Namibia second year environmental health sciences students visited Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb on September 09.
The purpose of the visit was for students to gain practical experience and get exposure in areas such as occupational health, safety and environmental and hazardous materials management.
“Dundee accepted the request from the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Polytechnic of Namibia for a visit to its operations. Education is a crucial priority for Dundee Precious Metals, thus we were pleased to have the students at the smelter to grasp and learn about what is going on at our operations in terms of safety, health and environmental management,” said Nico Potgieter, environment and hygiene manager at Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb.
Potgieter further explained that safety is of utmost importance at the smelter. The students had to receive a safety induction, in order for them to familiarise themselves with safety precautions before they proceeded to areas around the smelter.
During his presentation he asked the students to specify what they would want to learn, as the lecturer mentioned that they have projects to do with regard to the practical field trip. The topics raised were subsequently focused on during the presentation and site visit.
Field trips means more than leaving the lecture hall on campus; having the students exposed to practical knowledge gives valuable information and understanding with regard to what is going on in the real working place. It gives students the opportunity to merge the theoretical knowledge they gain through studies with the practical application thereof.
“At Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb, we protect the environment in which we operate in, ensuring negative impacts such as air emissions are minimized, as well as by complying with the Namibian Government’s regulations. This includes the commissioning of the N$2.7 billion high-tech sulphuric acid plant, designed to capture off-gases that contains sulphur dioxide from copper smelting and convert it into sulphuric acid,” explained Potgieter.
“You have done a tremendous job and I am impressed with your projects, such as hazard management and environment controls. And it shows that you have a transparent policy by taking us around to see what is happening at Dundee,” said Charmaine Jansen, Head of Department Health Sciences at the Polytechnic of Namibia.
Inekela Iiyambo, Environmental Specialist and Juno Claasen, Radiation and Hygiene officer at the Tsumeb Smelter, offered practical presentations to the students on the monitoring and measurement of occupational hygiene and environmental aspects at Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb.