Variability is the Villain
Observations of operations management of Minerals Processing Mills – Dr Paul Shelley
Read MorePartners in innovation
Molycop understands that creating an efficient and sustainable mining future requires collaboration with progressive and future-focused organisations.
We are fortunate to have partnered with major universities, technology partners, local suppliers, industry leaders and public sector departments in a spirit of cooperation to make major advances in sustainable product innovation and thought leadership.
Specifically, collaborations between organisations like ours and universities are critical drivers of the innovation economy. These relationships have long been a mainstay of corporate research and development (R&D), from creating a knowledge foundation for the next generation of solutions and serving as an extended ‘workbench’ to solve short-term, incremental problems, through to providing an employment pathway.
These partnerships also function as an important mechanism that allows us to open up new avenues of engagement with a broader innovation ecosystem.
Molycop places a high level of importance on our relationships with the major mining universities around the world. In addition to having access to the best and brightest minds, our support and partnership runs deep, either through direct support of research funding, shared access to world-class equipment and facilities, or cutting edge research across all facets of the mining industry.
Here are just some of the major partners we’re working with to forge a better future for us all.
University of New South Wales: Metallurgy and materials recycling
Our partnership with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) was created through a shared belief in the importance of innovation and forged through the ongoing exchange of knowledge and resources. It provides Molycop with access to world-leading research facilities, equipment and researchers to help us provide innovative solutions for our customers.
From ground-breaking innovations such as ‘Green Steel’ to our most recent work in the circular economy space, we look forward to seeing the fruits of our endeavours for many years to come.
University of Queensland: Wear testing
The technology of our mini mill is the result of an agreement between Molycop and the University of Queensland (UQ). The University has developed the mill for more than two decades, providing a credible and fast product test that can assist us to bring better products to the market more quickly.
Australian Research Council: Resource recovery
The Australian Research Council’s (ARC) purpose is to grow knowledge and innovation for the benefit of the Australian community by funding high-quality research, assessing the quality, engagement and impact of research and providing advice on research matters.
Molycop and UNSW have been the recipients of two rounds of ARC research funding over the past five years. Among the projects we have collaborated on is partnering with Nespresso to recycle and transform used coffee pods by:
- using coffee grounds as fuel
- extracting aluminium from coffee pods for use in the steel-making process
- extracting plastics for use as carbon substitutes.
The Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution: Knowledge sharing
The Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC) is a global initiative that provides access to the most current technical scientific papers and field studies to further efficient energy practices in the global mining industry. Its mission is to accelerate the implementation of eco-efficient comminution practices through promotion of supporting data and industry initiatives.
Molycop is among a group of mining industry leaders to recognise the need for a platform for effective communication of the latest technical findings on efficient comminution processes. Its partnership with the CEEC means it is a member of a visionary collective of innovative companies.
Molycop also collaborates with the following research institutions :
- Universidad de Chile (Data analytics and machine learning)
- University of Concepcion and Santiago (Mining Engineering)
- St Augustine National University Arequipa (Metallurgy and mineral processing)
- University of Sydney (Geoscience and comminution)
- Curtin University (Mill optimisation)
