The Mineral Waste Valorization Research Conference 2026 (MWVRC 2026) is a one-day hybrid research conference bringing together postgraduate researchers, academic staff, engineers, industry professionals and policymakers to address the challenge of mineral and industrial waste management in Ghana and beyond.
Organised by the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at KNUST in partnership with the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), this conference is a direct output of the OWSD Early Career Fellowship of Dr. Bennetta Koomson.




Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Kumasi, Ghana
The conference takes place at the Library Mall — one of KNUST's most prominent and accessible open spaces, located at the heart of campus.
📅 25 June 2026 · Hybrid (In-person + Online)
Three breakout rooms spanning the four technical themes of the conference.
Plus Policy & Regulatory Frameworks for Mineral Waste Management in Industry (T1 & T4)
Environmental stewardship and sustainable management of mineral waste streams (T2)
Innovative technologies and circular economy strategies for valorizing mineral waste (T3)
The Mineral Waste Valorization Research Conference 2026 (MWVRC 2026) is organised by the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana, in partnership with the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).
What is mineral waste? Mineral waste refers to solid, liquid or semi-solid residues generated during the extraction, processing and beneficiation of mineral resources — including mine tailings, slag, waste rock, process effluents and by-products from metallurgical operations.
Ghana's mining sector generates significant volumes of mineral and industrial waste that is poorly managed, underutilised and environmentally costly. This conference fills that gap by bringing engineers, researchers, industry players and policymakers together on a dedicated platform.
The conference is a direct output of the OWSD Early Career Fellowship of Dr. Bennetta Koomson (OWSD Fellow since 2023), whose fellowship is focused on mineral waste valorization research.
"Valorizing Mineral Waste through Engineering Innovations and Policy Advocacy"
KNUST — Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Library Mall, Kumasi, Ghana
In Partnership with OWSD
Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World
All sessions — keynotes, breakout rooms, panel discussion and closing ceremony — will be live-streamed. The link will be distributed to all registered online participants.
Physical venue: Library Mall, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
Online: Link distributed on registration
Selected full papers will be considered for publication in the Journal of the University of Science and Technology (JUST), a peer-reviewed academic journal.





















SGS
ALS
EPA
Intertek
ICMS| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 08:30 am | Arrival and Registration |
| 09:00 am | Opening Prayer Dr. Henry Agbe |
| 09:05 am | Singing of the National Anthem |
| 09:10 am | Introduction of Dignitaries Moderator — Prof. Kwadwo Mensah Darkwa |
| 09:20 am | Welcome and Opening Address Conference Chair — Prof. Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko |
| 09:35 am | Keynote Address 1 Mr. Sampson Gyasi Koduah · Business Line Leader, Minerals Sub-Saharan Africa, Intertek Ghana Minerals Waste Valorization Technologies and Circular Economy Strategies |
| 10:05 am | Poetry Recitals St. Louis Senior High School |
| 10:10 am | Keynote Address 2 Dr. Jackson Adiyiah Nyantakyi · Ashanti Regional Director, EPA Policy, Regulation and Industry Practice in Mineral Waste Management |
| 10:40 am | OWSD Documentary Show |
| 10:50 am | Keynote Address 3 Dr. Bennetta Koomson · OWSD Fellow 2023 Characterization, Sustainable Processing, and Environmental Management of Mineral Waste |
| 11:20 am | Morning Refreshments + Poster Viewing & Exhibition |
| 12:05 pm | Panel Discussion Panelists: SGS · Intertek · ALS · EPA · MPPE Theme: Valorizing Mineral Waste through Engineering Innovations and Policy Advocacy |
| 1:00 pm | Technical Breakout Sessions
Room A — T1: Characterization & Processing · T4: Policy & Regulatory Frameworks
Room B — T2: Environmental Impact, Remediation & Sustainable Management
Room C — T3: Waste Valorization Technologies & Circular Economy Strategies |
| 3:00 pm | Closing Ceremony & Awards
Messages from Sponsors & Organizations · Intertek · MPPE · WISTEM · WiM · TBEC · ALS · ICMS · GhIE · LiMAP-GH · SGS · OWSD GH · EPA · WINE
Presentation of Awards and Certificates
Closing Remarks — Prof. Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko |
| 3:45 pm | Singing of "Yen Ara Asaase Ni" |
| 3:50 pm | Closing Prayer Dr. Henry Agbe |
| 3:55 pm | Group Photography & Lunch |

30 April 2026 (Extended) — Submission has now closed.
16 May 2026 — Authors notified by email with reference code.
6 June 2026 — For papers selected for JUST journal consideration.
20 June 2026 — Final versions and presentations due.
25 June 2026 · Library Mall, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana · Hybrid

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Or email us directly at mwvresearchconference@gmail.com