Instructor: Dr. E. K. Asiam

Project: Merging the Industrial and Agricultural Sectors; Sustainable Approaches to Waste Management

This project will further explore and test a study that is currently taking place in Obuasi, roughly 72 kilometers outside of Kumasi, under Dr. Asiam, where the use of agricultural wastes in gold processing is being assessed. Most specifically, the study will concentrate on displacing cocoa waste to help the mining industry, through the production of environmentally engineered tools and methods. Such developments could conceivably optimize the cost-benefits of both industries.

The student will be able to visit sites of cocoa farms, as well as gold processing centers. While visiting the farms, the student will research the various ways that waste is generated; then transferring their studies to the lab, the student will be able to conduct experiments to determine the chemical components of this waste. While working with Dr. Asiam, the student will be able to attempt a case study transformation by burning the waste and using the ash for gold leaching.

The student is recommended to have an engineering background, or a decent understanding of chemical engineering and processes.

Among several other questions, the following could be explored:

What waste does the agricultural sector produce?

How could this waste be transformed to aid the gold mining sector? What are the best ways to recycle waste? What is the best strategy?

How would these changes increase farmers' earnings? Gold mining incomes?

How much would production increase with these improvements? What costs of production would be cut?