CEEC announces CRC ORE as new sponsor: Global collaboration to help drive efficient mining

CRC ORE has joined CEEC International as a valued sponsor. CRC ORE and CEEC will collaborate with the mining and METS sector to support technology advances and solutions for productivity and energy efficiency improvements. CRC ORE’s collaborative approach aims to catalyse breakthrough technologies and achieve significant productivity improvements. CEEC informs and equips miners with tools and options to improve and to accelerate technology uptake. Focusing on smart comminution and complementary technologies, this supports improvement in energy efficiency and productivity in mineral production.

CRC ORE is a genuine collaboration of forward-thinking miners, equipment and technology providers and researchers. Recognising much more could be achieved by working together on breakthrough technologies for the good of the industry, these players came together during the mining downturn with a clear aim to quickly change the approach to innovation and implementation on site. Similar to CEEC, CRC ORE was developed and funded by the minerals industry itself.

Formed in 2010, CRC ORE’s staff and participants brought deep knowledge to identify technologies to radically transform industry to be more productive, more profitable and more sustainable. Research projects are commissioned to fill the gaps where technology is missing or can be improved.

A raft of technologies are already well advanced in the CRC ORE portfolio. This includes the CRC ORE GradeEngineering™ coarse separation solution to improve gangue rejection much earlier in the mining process, and the Integrated Extraction Simulator (IES), which is used to predict and optimise variables across the whole-of-mine system.

CRC ORE is a key early supporter of CEEC and played an integral role in the emergence of the Energy Curves benchmarking concept. CEEC partnered with leading global mining experts including researchers at the University of Queensland’s Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre to develop the concept to a trusted, practical tool for benchmarking of energy in crushing and grinding. The Energy Curves now have strong global mining industry participation, made possible by the exceptional support of CEEC’s visionary sponsors, volunteers dedicating time to the initiative, and leading researchers.

CRC ORE’s General Manager Stakeholder Engagement, Clytie Dangar stated: “CRC ORE’s successes to date are testament to the value of active collaboration to solve complex industry issues. Our new partnership with CEEC provides another excellent opportunity for value-adding cooperation.

“CRC ORE is catalysing breakthrough technologies and collaborations with potential to radically improve the productivity, energy and water signatures of our mining operations to give the minerals sector a real step change in profitability and sustainability”.

CEEC’s CEO Alison Keogh said: “CEEC welcomes CRC ORE on board as a CEEC sponsor. CRC ORE joins CEEC’s existing visionary global sponsors from the mining and METS sectors, who are actively helping support efficient mineral production and innovation breakthroughs.

“Sponsorship is vital for CEEC to provide its public good, free information on technology advances and operational case studies, to deliver global workshops, and to fund free tools to equip mining and METS companies to target energy-efficient improvements.

“CRC ORE’s sponsorship of CEEC enhances collaboration and will help increase awareness of emerging technologies across the global mining sector. CEEC is proud to help inform and equip mining and METS companies with options and tools to benchmark and track productivity and energy efficiency improvements in design and operations.”

CEEC, a global not-for-profit company, is funded wholly by sponsorship from the mineral industry – Anglo American, Antofagasta Minerals, Ausenco, Barrick Gold, Bechtel, CITIC-HIC, CRC ORE, Donhad, Eriez, FL Smidth, Freeport McMoran, Gekko Systems, Glencore Technology, Goldcorp, Hatch, Metso, New Gold Inc, Orica, Oz Minerals, PETRA Data Science, Sandvik, Steinert, TOMS Institute and Weir Minerals.

CEEC facilities and other in-kind support is provided by AMIRA International, Austmine, IMARC, MEI, UQ Sustainable Minerals Institute and The AusIMM.