The future of South Africa’s minerals industry depends not only on new technologies and investment, but on the competence, professionalism and continuous development of the engineers, scientists and technical specialists who serve it.

As our industry evolves to meet increasingly complex technical, environmental and societal challenges, lifelong learning is no longer optional. It is a professional responsibility. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) exists to ensure that registered professionals remain technically competent, professionally accountable and equipped to make decisions that protect the public while advancing our industry.

While CPD is often viewed through the lens of compliance and registration renewal, its true purpose is much broader. It is about developing better professionals, sharing knowledge, mentoring others and strengthening the engineering community for future generations.

This is where the SAIMM Journal plays a vital role.

More Than a Journal

For more than a century, the SAIMM Journal has served as one of the mining and metallurgical industry’s most respected platforms for technical knowledge sharing.

Every published paper captures practical experience, innovative thinking, research findings or lessons learned from real engineering challenges. Every peer review helps ensure that this knowledge meets the highest technical standards before it is shared with the profession.

The Journal is therefore far more than a publication. It is a mechanism through which the collective knowledge of our profession is preserved, challenged and continuously improved.

CPD Through Professional Contribution

An added benefit of contributing to the Journal is that these activities also support members in meeting their CPD requirements.

Under the ECSA CPD Rules, members may claim:

• 2 CPD credits for publishing a peer-reviewed research paper as a single author.
• 1 CPD credit per author for peer-reviewed papers with multiple authors.
• 1 CPD credit for publishing a technical article.
• 1 CPD credit for presenting a paper or poster at a conference or congress. These activities form part of Category 3: Engineering Community of Practice. Registered professionals are required to accumulate a minimum of 25 CPD credits over each five-year renewal cycle while maintaining an appropriate balance across CPD categories.

Rather than viewing these credits simply as a compliance requirement, they should be seen as recognition of meaningful professional contributions that strengthen the engineering community.

The Importance of Peer Review

Behind every quality technical publication is an experienced reviewer who has invested time and expertise to improve the work before publication.

Peer reviewers evaluate technical accuracy, provide constructive feedback, identify knowledge gaps and help ensure that published papers remain relevant, credible and valuable to industry.

Reviewing also benefits the reviewer. It provides early exposure to emerging technologies, encourages critical technical thinking and keeps professionals connected to the latest developments within their field.

Following engagement between the SAIMM CPD Committee and the Publications Committee, the Committees agreed that journal reviewing should be recognised under Category 3B: Engineering Community of Practice (Individual Activities).

To encourage greater participation and recognise the contribution reviewers make, SAIMM will recognise journal reviewing at a rate of one CPD credit for every 10 notional hours of active review, aligned with the credit allocation applied to comparable Category 3B professional activities. This provides members with another meaningful opportunity to contribute while building their CPD portfolio.

Every Professional Has Knowledge Worth Sharing

One of the greatest misconceptions is that technical publishing is reserved for researchers or academics.

The reality is that every project presents challenges, innovations and lessons that can benefit the wider profession. Whether it is improving plant performance, solving an operational problem, implementing new technology or managing a complex project, these experiences represent valuable knowledge that deserves to be shared.

Likewise, experienced professionals possess decades of practical insight that can help shape the next generation of technical publications through constructive peer review.

Building Capability for the Future

One of the strategic objectives of the SAIMM CPD Committee is to foster a culture of lifelong learning, expand meaningful CPD opportunities and support members throughout every stage of their professional journey.

Encouraging greater participation in the SAIMM Journal directly supports this vision. It strengthens technical capability, promotes professional excellence and ensures that valuable engineering knowledge is shared rather than lost.

As professionals, we each have a responsibility not only to maintain our own competence, but also to contribute to the development of others.

Every paper published preserves valuable knowledge.

Every review completed improves the quality of that knowledge.

Every contribution helps develop more capable professionals and a stronger minerals industry.

That is the true value of CPD, and that is the enduring value of the SAIMM Journal.

 

K. Banda
SAIMM CPD Committee