🔔 EXTENDED Deadline 30 April 2026

Mineral Waste Valorization
Research Conference 2026

📅 25 June 2026  ·  KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana 💻 Hybrid — In-person + Online
Welcome to MWVRC 2026

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, focused on mineral waste valorization research.

What is Mineral Waste?

Mineral waste is leftover material that still contains minerals but is no longer useful for its original purpose. It is commonly produced during mining, quarrying, and industrial processes — and extends to any waste material that retains mineral content, regardless of the source industry. This conference welcomes work from all sectors where mineral-containing waste is generated or managed.

Areas of Focus

The conference welcomes submissions across the four tracks below. Topics listed are indicative — submissions are not limited to these areas. Any work related to mineral waste management, valorization, environmental impact or policy is welcome.

T1 · Room A

Characterisation and Processing of Mineral and Industrial Waste

T2 · Room B

Environmental Impact, Remediation and Sustainable Management

T3 · Room C

Waste Valorisation Technologies and Circular Economy Strategies

T4 · Room D

Policy, Regulation and Industry Practice in Mineral Waste Management

Topics of Interest (not limited to)
Mineral Waste Characterisation
Industrial Waste Characterisation
XRD and SEM Analysis
Particle Size Analysis
Mineral Waste Processing
Industrial Waste Processing
Flotation and Separation
Hydrometallurgical Processing
Pyrometallurgical Processing
Acid Leaching & Bioleaching
Metal Recovery from Waste
Resource Recovery & Recycling
Mineral Waste Valorisation
Circular Economy in Mining
Industrial By-product Utilisation
Environmental Impact of Waste
Soil & Water Contamination
Heavy Metal Contamination
Acid Mine Drainage
Wastewater Treatment
Soil & Water Remediation
Sustainable Waste Management
Tailings Management
Environmental Monitoring
Waste Management Policies
Environmental Regulations
Regulatory Compliance
Sustainability Governance

Topics are not limited to those listed above. Any work related to mineral waste is welcome.

Conference Overview
Background, theme, objectives and host institution

The Mineral Waste Valorization Research Conference 2026 (MWVRC 2026) is organised by the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (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. These materials often contain residual valuable elements alongside potentially hazardous substances, making their responsible management and valorization a critical challenge for both industry and the environment.

Ghana's mining sector generates significant volumes of mineral and industrial waste that is poorly managed, underutilised and environmentally costly. There is currently no dedicated platform in Ghana that brings engineers, researchers, industry players and policymakers together to address this problem. This conference fills that gap.

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. It represents the department's commitment to connecting research with industry and policy for meaningful impact.

The event is a one-day hybrid conference — combining in-person sessions at KNUST with live online participation — designed to be accessible to researchers and practitioners across Ghana and Africa.

Conference Theme

"Valorizing Mineral Waste through Engineering Innovations and Policy Advocacy"

Conference Objectives

  • Provide a platform for sharing research on mineral waste valorization in Ghana and Africa
  • Bridge the gap between academic research, industry practice and policy on mineral waste management
  • Foster collaboration between KNUST researchers, industry professionals and government stakeholders
  • Showcase postgraduate research and emerging innovations in waste valorization
  • Contribute to the publication pathway through the JUST journal

Host Institution

KNUST — Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Kumasi, Ghana

In Partnership with OWSD
Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World

Hybrid Format

The conference is fully hybrid. All sessions — keynotes, parallel breakouts, panel discussion and closing ceremony — will be live-streamed online. The link will be distributed to all registered online participants.

Physical venue: KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
Online: Link distributed on registration

Organising Committee
The team behind MWVRC 2026

Core Organising Committee

Dr. Bennetta Koomson
Dr. Bennetta Koomson
Conference Chair
Department of Materials & Metallurgical Engineering, KNUST · OWSD Fellow 2023
Mrs. Patricia Amoah Yirenkyi
Mrs. Patricia Amoah Yirenkyi
Programme Coordinator
Office of Grants and Research, KNUST (Research Manager)
Prof. Emmanuel Gikunoo
Prof. Emmanuel Gikunoo
Technical Editor (Lead)
Department of Materials & Metallurgical Engineering, KNUST (HOD)
Prof. Kwadwo Mensah Darkwa
Prof. Kwadwo Mensah Darkwa
Technical Editor & Publication Liaison
Department of Materials & Metallurgical Engineering, KNUST · JUST Journal Liaison
Publicity Lead
Publicity Lead
Publicity & Communications
KNUST
Logistics Lead
Logistics Lead
Logistics & Finance
KNUST

Supporting Team

EE
Master Emmanuel
AV & IT Support
KNUST — Online Streaming, Projectors & PA
SC
Session Chair 1
Track 1 Chair
Room A
SC
Session Chair 2
Track 2 Chair
Room B
SC
Session Chair 3
Track 3 Chair
Room C
SC
Session Chair 4
Track 4 Chair
Room D
Keynote Speakers
Three keynote addresses — details to be announced
1

Keynote 1

 

Details to be announced

2

Keynote 2

 

Details to be announced

3

Keynote 3

 

Details to be announced

Panel Discussion
The panel discussion follows the afternoon refreshments at 14:00

Panellists

The panel will include the three keynote speakers and one industry representative. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Bennetta Koomson.

Panel topic: To be announced

Conference Day Programme (Draft)
25 June 2026 · KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana · Hybrid (In-person + Online)
TimeSession
08:00
Setup and AV Check
08:30
Registration Opens
09:00
Welcome and Opening Address
Conference Chair — Dr. Bennetta Koomson
09:15
Keynote Address 1
20 min + 10 min Q&A
09:45
Keynote Address 2
20 min + 10 min Q&A
10:15
Poetry Recitals / Documentary Show
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10:25
Keynote Address 3
20 min + 10 min Q&A
10:55
Morning Refreshments + Poster Viewing
11:40
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Room A — T1: Characterisation & Processing
Room B — T2: Environmental Impact & Remediation
Room C — T3: Valorisation Technologies & Circular Economy
Room D — T4: Policy, Regulation & Industry Practice
Max 4 oral presentations per room · 12 min + 3 min Q&A each
1:00
Musical Interlude
1:10
Panel Discussion
Valorizing Mineral Waste through Engineering Innovations and Policy Advocacy
2:15
Closing Ceremony & Awards
Best Oral Presentation Award (one per track) · Best Poster Presentation Award · Closing Remarks — Dr. Bennetta Koomson
3:00
Networking and Close
Poster presentations are compulsory for all accepted abstracts, regardless of whether the presenter also has an oral slot. All presenters must print and bring their own A1 portrait poster. 16 poster boards are available, numbered by track.
Submit Your Abstract
EXTENDED Deadline: 30 April 2026  ·  Notification: 16 May 2026
250
Word Limit
30 Apr
Extended Deadline
16 May
Notification Date
Free
No Submission Fee

Abstract Submission Guidelines

  • All abstracts will be peer-reviewed. Authors must ensure originality. Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) is strictly prohibited.
  • Modification of an abstract will not be allowed after it has been reviewed and accepted.
  • All submissions will undergo similarity checks. Abstracts with high similarity levels may be rejected or returned for revision.
  • Authors are advised not to rely entirely on AI tools for writing abstracts.
  • Abstracts previously published in journals or proceedings will not be considered unless appropriately paraphrased and cited.
  • Accepted abstracts will be compiled into a Book of Abstracts distributed in PDF format.
  • An abstract should not exceed 250 words.
  • All abstracts must be written in English and submitted through the official online submission system on this page.

Presentation Format

Format
Hybrid (Physical & Virtual)
Presentation
Oral — physical or virtual
Virtual Option
Live or pre-recorded video
Duration
15–20 minutes per presenter
Poster
Compulsory for all accepted abstracts
Oral Slots
Max 4 per track — not guaranteed

📢 Extended Deadline: 30 April 2026  ·  Notification: 16 May 2026

Key Milestones
Mark these dates in your calendar
Apr
30

Abstract Submission Deadline  EXTENDED

30 April 2026 (Extended) — Hard deadline.

May
16

Notification of Acceptance

16 May 2026 — All authors notified by email with reference code

Jun
06

Full Paper Submission

6 June 2026 — For papers selected for JUST journal consideration

Jun
20

Finalisation of Accepted Papers

20 June 2026 — Final versions and presentations due

Jun
25

Conference Date 🎓

25 June 2026 — KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana · Hybrid (In-person + Online)

Register to Attend
Registration is free for all participants
✅ Registration is FREE for all participants — postgraduate students, researchers, academics and industry professionals.

Registration Form

Registration received! You will receive a confirmation email with your online access link and further details shortly.
Online participants: The link for all sessions will be sent to your registered email address one week before the conference date.
Our Supporters
We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors and industry partners

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Support the Mineral Waste Valorization Research Conference and gain visibility with researchers, engineers and policymakers in mineral waste management.

Contact Us →
Get in Touch
We are happy to answer any questions about the conference

Contact Information

📧
👤
Conference Chair
Dr. Bennetta Koomson
bkoomson.coe@knust.edu.gh
📍
Venue
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)
Kumasi, Ghana

Send a Message

Alternatively email us at mwvresearchconference@gmail.com