On May 15, a seven-member delegation led by Wang Guofa, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief scientist at China Coal Technology & Engineering Group (CCTEG), visited Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST) for a day of high-level academic exchange and university-industry partnership discussions. The visit featured a symposium and a public lecture series, providing a platform for cutting-edge dialogue and deepening collaborative innovation. Liu Zuwen, Party Secretary of JXUST, met with Academician Wang and his team before the formal proceedings.
The symposium was chaired by Vice President Wang Hang and attended by Ge Shirong — also a CAE academician and president of JXUST — along with senior representatives from the university’s research institute, its Center of Excellence for Critical Minerals, and the faculties of future urban studies and artificial intelligence. More than 400 students and faculty members later gathered for the academic lectures.
President Ge extended a warm welcome and outlined JXUST’s strategic roadmap toward becoming a world-class university in rare earths and critical minerals. Drawing on 68 years of specialized experience in non-ferrous metals, rare earths and critical minerals, he said, the university is closely aligning its discipline development, research platforms and talent training with national strategic demands as it pushes for “Double First-Class” status. Ge expressed hope that the exchange would spur deeper cooperation with CCTEG in intelligent mining, green and efficient rare-earth utilization, new materials, joint talent cultivation and major research initiatives — helping to upgrade the mining industry and strengthen the security of the national critical mineral supply chain.
Academician Wang praised JXUST’s deep-rooted industrial heritage, distinctive regional advantages and clear development vision. He encouraged the university to stay on a differentiated, specialty-driven path, consolidate its core strengths and aim for a breakthrough in the new round of “Double First-Class” construction. Noting the shared origins in mining disciplines, he said CCTEG would further expand strategic collaboration, sharing advanced platforms and frontier technologies to promote interdisciplinary exchange and serve the country’s critical mineral strategy.
The symposium discussion covered topics from rare earth and critical mineral resource development to joint talent training and deeper research integration.
In the afternoon, Academician Wang, together with Liu Jianzhong — Vice President of CCTEG — and Fan Jingdao — Director of the National Innovation Center for Intelligent Coal Mining Technology and a professor at Henan Polytechnic University — delivered three keynote lectures as part of a high-level academic forum on intelligent and green critical mineral development.
In his opening remarks, President Ge described the forum as a valuable opportunity for the university community to engage with the frontiers of research and industry trends.
Wang Guofa’s lecture, “Smart Mines and the Development of Intelligent Mining Disciplines,” systematically traced the evolution of intelligent coal mining in China, unpacked the core technology systems and industry standards, and interpreted the essentials of green, safe and efficient coal transformation under the “dual carbon” framework. He detailed breakthroughs in 5G-powered intelligent mining and offered concrete recommendations on talent cultivation models, curriculum design and practical teaching for intelligent mining programs.
Liu Jianzhong’s talk, “Practice and Exploration in Coal Science and Technology Innovation,” took an industry-wide perspective and grounded itself in on-the-ground R&D practice. He dissected the strategic direction and implementation paths of coal technology, pinpointed current priorities and challenges, and mapped out a high-quality future of green, intelligent and efficient coal development.
Fan Jingdao’s report, “Key Technologies and Trends in Intelligent Coal Development,” shared innovative results from landmark national projects — including China’s first intelligent unmanned mining face and intelligent shaft construction — and detailed the “Huangling Model” of intelligent mining. He urged students to anchor their ambitions in the nation’s critical mineral sector and grow into a new generation of responsible, dedicated mining professionals.
The event concluded with a book donation ceremony. Academician Wang presented the university with the popular-science series Sun Stone, which was accepted by President Ge on behalf of JXUST, enriching campus science education and academic culture.
