Austmine Signs MoU with CRC ORE to Foster Innovations Between METS and Miners

The CRC for the Optimization of Resource Extraction (CRC ORE) and Austmine have announced the launch of a new partnership to deliver the next wave of innovation in mining and create new export opportunities for Australia’s Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector.

The partnership provides a framework for collaboration between the mining industry, research institutions and the METS sector to develop the innovative solutions needed to ensure Australia retains its position as a global leader in mining.

Speaking at the launch of partnership and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, CRC ORE Chair Jonathan Loraine acknowledged the challenges currently faced by the mining industry and emphasized that “the next wave of significant productivity improvements will require a whole-of-business system approach.”

This is the core focus of CRC ORE. The organization will develop an advanced manufacturing approach for mining; targeting operational inefficiencies, reducing energy use, and enabling economic recovery of lower-grade ore deposits. The approach will generate the business case required to activate numerous latent technologies by defining value in the context of system-wide manufacturing principles. This will stimulate creation and expansion of global markets for METS companies that support the mining sector by delivering productivity improvements made possible through innovation.

Loraine recognized that the participation of Australia’s METS sector would be critical to the success of the CRC. “It is these organizations...that have the skills, expertise and vision to help take innovations from the laboratory to the mine and ultimately to the market.”

As the peak body representing the METS sector, Austmine is at the helm of one of Australia’s most innovative and successful industries. In 2012, the METS sector invested in excess of $1.6 billion in research and development and generated $90 billion in gross annual revenue.

Chair of Austmine Elizabeth Lewis-Gray welcomed the MoU. “Austmine promotes the Australian METS sector globally and encourages the advancement of innovation and technology in mining.

This partnership will create opportunities for the Australian METS sector to collaborate with large end-users and globally renowned researchers. Many of our companies are small and medium enterprises which would not otherwise have the capacity to be involved in research and innovation at this scale.”

“The establishment of a mining innovation exchange will ensure Austmine members have access to regularly updated information on the latest technologies under development and the opportunity to commercialize research outcomes. This will support long-term growth in our technology and service export markets.