Three companies have been chosen to compete in the finals of the 2019 #DisruptMining challenge, with the winner getting a chance at $1 million to develop their mining innovation.
Sponsored by Goldcorp, the annual competition challenges companies to find innovative solutions to mining’s most pressing issues.
The three finalists will present their ideas to a panel of judges during a live, ‘Dragons’ Den’-style pitch event on the evening of March 3 in Toronto, during the annual convention hosted by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).
This year’s event is being co-sponsored by KPMG.
The winner lands the opportunity to negotiate up to $1 million to prove their concept.
This year’s finalists include:
- Anaconda Mining (Toronto): a revolutionary drilling approach that promises to unlock value for narrow vein deposits;
- ANDRITZ (Austria): training artificial intelligence to autonomously operate a mineral processing facility; and
- Voith Turbo (Mississauga): an IoT application that increases the intelligence of belt conveyors.
“#DisruptMining continues to represent the best of innovation in the mining industry,” said Todd White, Goldcorp’s COO and executive vice-president of operations, in a Feb. 25 news release.
“These finalists demonstrate breakthrough thinking and help build digital momentum in mining. The industry needs to help accelerate the development of these kinds of technologies.”
In 2017, Cementation of North Bay was declared a co-winner at the event. The company pitched its idea for injection-hoisting technology, which uses a combination of existing and proven crushing, pumping and slurry technologies to eliminate the need for mine shaft production hoisting or trucking, by transporting ore to the surface using a pump-driven pipeline loop.
The company also took home the $50,000 People’s Choice award.
