COP28: Oxford students win prize for mine alert system

Project leader, Maral Bayaraa, says she wants to make mining more sustainable

Students behind an innovative project aimed at solving the world's biggest problems have won a prize at the COP28 United Nations (UN) climate summit.

The project, developed by the group from the University of Oxford, has been selected under COP28's Prototypes for Humanity initiative.

Digital Twins 4 Tailing Dams, is a satellite-based warning system which could prevent disasters in mines.

It won the Data Sciences & AI-Enabled Solutions category.

The students will be awarded a share of the $100,000 prize fund.

COP28 is the 28th annual UN climate meeting, where governments will discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change.

It is being held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and started on Thursday and is set to run until 12 December.

'Close to my heart'

Lead student Maral Bayaraa said mining had always been close to her heart.

"I'm from Mongolia, which is one of the most resource-rich countries in the world, and I've seen the huge amount of good mining can do," she said.

"But I've also seen the really dark side of mining and that's why I've always wanted to be a part of this conversation - making mining more sustainable."

The winners were selected from more than 3,000 entries submitted from 710 universities in 108 countries - also including Yale, Princeton, Cambridge and Harvard.

Prizes were also given for other innovations including synthetic yeast, an injection optimised for emergency disaster relief and invasive weeds transformed into eco-friendly plastics.