Students of the Faculty of Science, University of Banja Luka and pupils from the Secondary School of Technology in Banja Luka, together with professors and representatives of the Association of Technology Engineers of the Republic of Srpska, December 24, 2019, visited the Alumina Company In Zvornik. The visit was realized as part of the RAISESEE project, funded by the EIT Raw Materials Fund, and supported by this company by opening their doors for professional students’ visits and internships. The aim of the RAISESEE project is to popularize material science for high school students and to promote the natural resources of our country which is very rich. This project is in synergy with the national TRAKMAT project so the students from the University are joining the trips. This way the triangle of experiences engineers+university students+secondary school pupils is fulfilled and the mentorship communication during the activities has multiple levels. Students have joined pupils in this activity since RAISESEE is co-financing the TRAKMAT, national project which helped increase significantly number of hours in the industry for students of chemistry and mining. TRAKMAT is financed by Ministry of scientific and technological development, higher education and information society.

In addition, one of the activities under this project is a multi-day professional practice of award-winning high school students in the laboratories of project partners located across Europe. ( undefined )
This time in Alumina company, students and pupils had the opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art Silica Gel Plant and the Central Laboratory. This way they learned about the production process as well as about the instrumental and physicochemical analyses carried out there. The top-level guidance was provided by the Director of the Integrated Protection Sector, Ms Dragana Smiljanić. With the acquisition of new sophisticated instruments, the Alumina’s Central Laboratory has increased the number of activities in recent years, improving the analysis of raw materials and final products, thus creating the opportunity for job creation for the new staff with qualifications in chemistry as a science and technology.

The visit was also covered by a TV crew from the national television of the Republika Srpska, who prepared a video report broadcasted in main news as well as the article.

This kind of dissemination is of great importance for promoting positive examples from the industry. In particular, Alumina is an export-oriented company and in 2019, in the field of synthetic zeolite production they were number one in Europe, while in the production of aluminum oxide and hydroxide they are currently among the top ten leading companies in Europe.

LINKS:

https://www.capital.ba/studenti-ucenici-i-profesori-iz-banjaluke-posjetili-aluminu/