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AFRIcA DoWn UnDeR
through to companies with $20 million mar-
ket caps.”
One focus of the Agate Project is to es-
The Agate project tablish research grants and scholarships to
support individual projects.
“We are setting up a named scholarship
with Roxgold [Inc, the TSX-listed West Afri-
ustralian mining’s participation in the de- charge industry for participation, using the can miner] for a masters student to work on
Avelopment of a new generation of African funds to subsidise or pay for university stu- a Roxgold project,” Jessell said. “We think
professionals has been made easier thanks dents and staff from African geological sur- that is a great model whereby companies
to the formation of the Agate Project, created veys. can come to us and discuss their needs in
by a group of international researchers and The Agate Project will also use funds to terms of research appropriate for graduate
academics. send students and geological survey staff on students and we can organise that sort of
Western Australian Fellow at the Centre the “huge array” of online courses sprouting relationship.”
for Exploration Targeting at The University of up throughout the academic world. He said opening a connection between
Western Australia Professor Mark Jessell is The project has adopted a similar funding industry and research was a key part of the
one of the founders of the scheme. He told model to the West African Exploration Initia- Agate Project agenda.
Africa Down Under the Agate Project – a tive (WAXI) – of which Jessell is also a direc- “We can act as a bridge to universities to
genuine not-for-profit group – was designed tor – forgoing single large donors in favour organise named scholarships,” he said. “We
to promote the development of African geo- of support and sponsorship from all facets of can help the industry by training the next
sciences on the continent. industry. generation of staff and the next generation of
“We support African education and re- “One of the reasons we’ve been able to people who will train your staff; we are train-
search opportunities in the field of earth and continuously work in the region for such a ing the trainers.
planetary sciences,” Jessell said. “We offer a long time is because we haven’t gone to one “We can also provide in-house or shared
range of education opportunities for profes- large donor,” he said. “Since we started at training for individual companies.”
sionals, researchers and students based in WAXI 15 years ago, there has always been As well as financial contributions, Jessell
Africa.” someone interested in developing explora- is eager to tap the industry for its knowledge.
Although relatively new, the Project has tion sciences or wanting their staff trained. “You know a lot about exploring in Africa,
already undertaken several short courses in The model allows us to continually develop we can then use that knowledge to train peo-
technical geoscience, including courses on our research projects, our students and our ple.”
structural geology and geophysics. staff within the companies. At WAXI, we For more information on the Agate Project,
Jessell said the group’s model was to have had support from BHP Ltd all the way visit tectonique.net/agate/

ASX:BEM

Developing the Maniry
Graphite Project - Madagascar

Resolute is an

African gold miner

Level 1, 675 Murray Street
West Perth WA 6005 Australia
www.blackearthminerals.com.au
ASX/LSE:RSG | www.rml.com.au

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