Companies that come up with new ways to conserve and treat water in British Columbia mining operations have a chance to win $ 150,000, in a contest hosted by the Mining Association of BC
MABC President Michael Goehring announced the industry’s first-ever mining innovation challenge on Thursday. Co-sponsored by the Government of British Columbia, Natural Resources Canada and industry players Teck Resources and Newcrest Mining, the competition for entrepreneurs is open until February 18 for expressions of interest, and the winner will be announced at the end of June.
Goehring describes it as a “reverse step,” inspired by the X-Prize of electric car and spacecraft pioneer Elon Musk, a $ 100 million competition to develop the extraction of carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. Mining uses, collects and processes large amounts of water in its mining operation and tailings, and reducing waste and evaporation is a key step in the industry’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. .
In these innovation competitions, clients present their technology needs to innovators, who apply and undergo an expert assessment. Winners are supported to take their ideas to commercial scale in real mining operations.
Teck and Newcrest are sponsoring a similar innovation competition in Australia, which, like British Columbia, has extensive mines for coal and metallurgical metals. Teck chief executive Doug Brown said the company continues to have most of its operations in British Columbia and leads efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its operations. The Australian competition aims to electrify mining operations.
Goehring said the industry is at “a pivotal point in our transition to low carbon,” which means a surge in battery, electric, wind and solar systems. Goehring noted that British Columbia is Canada’s largest producer of copper, its only producer of molybdenum, and has the potential to mine nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements needed for renewable technologies.
Australian-based Newcrest operates the Red Chris mine in northwestern British Columbia, the region of the gold and copper deposit known as the “Golden Triangle” of British Columbia. Teck has owned metallurgical coal mines and metal smelters in Southeastern British Columbia for over a century.
The province issued a Mining Act permit to Ascot Resources Ltd. on Dec. 7 to develop its Premier Gold project, which aims to be one of British Columbia’s low-carbon gold mines using electricity from BC Hydro. Located near Stewart, British Columbia and Hyder, Alaska, Premier Gold is a partnership with the Nisga’a Nation.
“The rights under our treaty and our commitment to the stewardship of the Nass Valley and Nisga’a citizens have helped make the Premier Gold project a safe, prosperous and responsible mining operation,” said Eva Clayton, President of the Nisga’a Lisims. Government.
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