December 12, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 17, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Pakistan and Austria are jointly conducting a research study on minerals and petroleum sectors that play a pivotal role in the industrial development and economic growth of nations, an official statement said.

In this regard, a three-member team of Austrian professors visited the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, before proceeding to Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro.

The team is visiting Pakistan to assist a research study being conducted by MUET, Jamshoro in the discipline of geological sciences.

Adviser, HEC research and development, Dr S. Mahmood Raza briefed the visiting professors regarding HEC’s research grants programme.

The Austrian team comprised Prof Dr Oskar A. R. Thalhammer, head of the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Prof Dr Fritz Ebner, head of the Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Leoben, Austria, and Dr Heinrich Mali, senior lecturer, Department of Geology and Economic Geology.

Keeping in view the national importance of these sectors for the country’s economy, the department of mining engineering of MUET has devised this research strategy to upgrade the quality of indigenous raw ores to make them suitable for industrial applications as per market demand.

The department of mining engineering has recently started a PhD project titled ‘Upgradation of Dilband Iron Ore’ through which two other studies would also be launched which are removal of impurities from Nagar Parker China clay and physical cleaning of indigenous lignite.

The main objective of this research strategy is to develop an industrial process and technology required for upgradation of indigenous minerals. In this regard, Mehran University has developed collaboration with Minerals Institute at Leoben, Austria through the HEC.

In this connection, Prof Oskar Thalhammer, the head of the minerals institute, and his two colleagues are visiting Pakistan to assist the study at MUET.