APPLICATION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN INDUSTRY

Dear Editor,

THE just ended National Economic Summit held in Livingstone made for very interesting reading such that its importance was enough to attract attendance by African leaders from Tanzania, Kenya and host Zambia. Many of the economic issues discussed and reviewed covered developmental challenges.

A literature review on African development cites some issues which are drivers for national development. There are two categories (refer African Capacity Building Foundation, Harare, Occasional paper #2, 2017):

a) Commodity dependant – these are price-based factors and

b) Non-commodity dependant factors

– these involve macroeconomic components associated with:

-investments

-infrastructure

-trade

-sound macro-economic management policies

-improved governance

-relative peace in the nation -prudent fiscal policies

Impact of Science & Technology in Industry

The overarching trigger for economic development is usually the scaling effect that application of science and technology in industry has. It impacts all sub-sectors of the Zambian economy. To begin with, science & technology is understood from various dictionary definitions as ‘that branch of knowledge involving systematic observation and experiment’ and ‘use of tools, mechanisms, techniques and sources of power to make work easier and more productive’, respectively! Accordingly, the knowledge and tools to address economic improvement can be brought about when applied in industry. Consider the Egyptians in history who applied animal fats or wetted the sand to help slide stone blocks (usually gypsum) on sledges as they constructed the pyramids. This was a case of finding a lubrication solution to overcome friction.

Context

Industry includes the aggregate of manufacturing or technically productive enterprises in a particular field, often named after its principal product (copper, agriculture, general business activity, telecoms, trade or manufacturing in general). Consider how the Copperbelt landscape could have been in the absence of scientific and technological process advancements in mining of metals like copper and cobalt? Over years, copper extraction of crushed ores (from sulphide-bearing rocks) was discovered to be most efficient by using special reagents such as xanthates (a chemical that renders the copper sulphide particles hydrophobic ie. does not mix with water well) to form a froth. This is then concentrated, skimmed off and dried ready for smelting before refining by electrolysis.

On the other hand, copper from oxide-bearing rocks is better extracted by leaching technology using sulphuric acid. The refining process yields cathodes together with valuable ‘slime’ (rich in gold, silver, platinum and palladium) that falls to the bottom of electro-winning tanks.

At Konkola Copper Mines, this is now exported whereas former Ndola Copper Refinery used to add economic value to this process – copper industry beneficiation!

Local situation

The Zambian industry landscape can be drawn with its challenges and opportunities highlighted but application of science and technologies must still play a role for meaningful development. Consider:

1) Energy sector

This includes all forms of energy resources – petroleum (fossil fuel, gas, coal), electricity and renewable such as solar.

o Petrochemical industry – crude oil (mixture of hydrocarbons) as feedstock for Indeni refinery is separated into various marketable fuels (petrol and diesel) utilising the physical process of distillation. Other more complex refineries are able to further treat this feedstock into lubricants and bitumen - lubricating oils used for machinery and motor engines, and bituminous products in road construction, respectively. Indeed, Unza researcher Sam Sichilalu and his team must be commended for taking up the challenge to develop a fuel formula using waste tyres and plastics as feedstock. That is the way to go!

o Renewable power – in particular, solar power is proving to be a critical driver for rural economic development through the rural electrification program by REA. The main technology augmenting traditional energy sources is systems of photovoltaic cells (solar panels) which convert the energy in sunlight to electricity. 2) Manufacturing & Industry sector It covers operations that use raw materials which end up with production of semi- or finished goods and services. At Zambian Breweries, the empty ‘Mosi’ bottles on the bottling line are washed/cleaned using caustic soda and water at temperature. Use is made of the chemical action of scouring and degreasing the silica containers or glass bottles.

At Zambia Sugar Plc, sugar is produced from crushed cane which gives concentrated sucrose solution termed mother liquor. Sugar crystals are grown in large vertical pans using a physical process of crystallization (growing from seeded crystals), and later refined using centrifuges – waste and excess water is removed by spinning motion or action. 3) Transport sector A wide range of fleet-management products are on the market. Oil marketing companies (OMCs) have recognised this service offer to their motoring clients and in order to be distinct, some have launched suitable forecourt products. Puma Energy and Total Zambia, both have fuelling cards which the motoring public can use (carry value) at their convenience. Companies can utilise computerised fuel technology to manage and control stocks – total fluid management system applicable to both fuels and lubricants! 4) Government sector Water utilities help provide a social service including provision of safe and clean portable water. Bulk raw water obtained from either river sources or boreholes must be treated and made safe before consumption.

The water treatment plants filter, remove sediments by flocculation and chlorinate the water before distributing to homes. Flocculation is a process of adding such a chemical as aluminium sulphate to help aggregate particles so that they sink to the bottom of the settling water tanks. ‘Chlorine gas’ from cylinders is then charged to kill bacteria and microbes. 5) Others The informal or cottage industry is not left out when it comes to application of science and technology. The construction sub-sector is booming and it is not unusual to see men and women by the roadside breaking rocks to sell to willing customers. They prepare the rock chips for sale by applying science and technology in the process. Rocky outcrops are subjected to shock heat and cold treatment using burning rubber tyres followed by pouring water on the heated rock. This process causes faults to form in the rock lattice due to sudden heating and quenching. Subsequent breaking of the rock becomes easy!

Modern consideration

Modern day examples abound as technology has assumed unimaginable importance due to the digital age. We apply it in all sorts of ways:

a) In business – productivity improves by enhancing business operations. Automation and efficiencies in carrying out tasks can escalate profits.

b) Communication - the advent of digital communication has made the world a proverbial ‘global village’ indeed. Platforms such as ‘Facebook’, ‘Goggle’, etc have made communication much easier using their social network portals.

c) In education - technology gadgets and mobile apps help students to learn easily

d) Agriculture - crop marketing can utilise technology to ensure information about commodity prices and weather is available timely.

e) Banking - this facet have become second-nature to most of us. We swipe bank cards at automated teller machines (ATM) daily and use Visa for electronic banking.

f) Transportation - this is the main mode of moving people from one place to another. Both businesses and people have benefitted from the new technologies in the travel industry

Final remarks

It is my fervent cry that the foregoing contributes to motivating all stakeholders and rise to the challenge of national development in the most prudent way possible using routes that have a high chance of lifting the economy by the bootstraps because we owe it to posterity. We cannot continue sharing poverty! Just some thoughts!

RK Masiye – a freelance energy business and forecourt training consultant with over 30 years experience having worked for ZCCM, BP Zambia Plc and Barclays Bank Plc! Contact: 0966-860 167

E-mail: robertk.masiye@gmail. com

At Konkola Copper Mines, this is now exported whereas former Ndola opper efinery used to add economic value to this process – copper industry eneficiation