JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – More than 300 emerging researchers, industry leaders, government, academia and other stakeholders are to gather this month and next to explore innovative solutions to challenges in the minerals sector, Mintek announced on Monday, September 21.

In partnership with the National Research Foundation (NRF), Mintek will be hosting its third Science Convention for Innovators in Engineering, Science and Technology (SCi) between September 29 and October 2 in Randburg, Gauteng.

Held under the theme “The Next Frontier: Emerging Scientists Driving Change” the 2026 event will highlight the strategic role of collaboration between research institutions and industry in strengthening South Africa’s science, technology and innovation ecosystem.

The convention partnership takes place in the context of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Mintek and the NRF in 2025, which marked an important commitment by the two organisations to deepen collaboration in research, innovation, human capacity development and other areas of mutual interest. Importantly, the partnership is moving beyond the signing of an agreement towards tangible collaboration, programmes and opportunities such as this gathering.

Mintek SCi will be connecting emerging research with industry applications, promoting knowledge exchange and developing the next generation of researchers and innovators.

The Disruptive Research Roundtable, to be held at The Fairway Hotel in Randburg on September 29 will convene representatives from industry, government, academia, civil society and science councils. Under the theme “The Quadruple Helix in Science: Solving the Mineral Problems of the Future”, the roundtable will examine how South Africa's innovation system can work differently and more collaboratively to address emerging mineral challenges.

The Mintek SCi Grad Hackathon will challenge emerging researchers and innovators to develop practical solutions to real-world challenges in the minerals sector. Finalist teams will present their solutions during the main Mintek SCi Symposium on October 2.

The flagship Mintek SCi Symposium will bring together emerging researchers from Mintek, academia, industry and research institutions to showcase research, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration. Professor Loyiso Tyobeka, Vice-Chancellor of the North-West University, will deliver a keynote address at the Mintek event.

The 2026 programme will focus on four key themes: Critical Minerals, Energy, Emerging Technologies, and Sustainability and Circular Economy. Research topics include sustainable mineral extraction and beneficiation, rare earth elements, energy storage and hydrogen technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital twins, advanced process control, water management, decarbonisation, and converting waste streams into sources of value.

Mintek SCi is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, giving researchers aged 35 and under opportunities to present their work, receive peer feedback, and build professional networks.

The 2026 edition demonstrates the importance of partnerships in advancing research and innovation that respond to real-world challenges. By bringing together researchers, innovators, industry and other stakeholders, Mintek SCi creates a platform for ideas to move from research into practical applications that can contribute to the future of the minerals industry.