Two Northern Ontario companies are among the five finalists in the #DisruptMining competition staged by Goldcorp and Integra Gold Corp.
Held during the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference, the event showcases disruptive and exponential technologies that have the potential to revolutionize various aspects of the industry.
Picked out of 153 submissions, the five finalists will pitch their disruptive technology "shark-tank style” to a panel of judges at the Carlu in Toronto on March 5.
North Bay mine builder Cementation Canada has a proof of concept model that combines existing crushing, pumping and slurry technologies that will eliminate the need for mine shaft production hoisting or trucking ore to the surface.
Their process injection hoisting uses a pump driven pipeline loop.
The company said the invention is adaptable to all mining methods and could “revolutionize underground mine development” by substantially reduces energy consumption and ventilation requirements.
Sudbury’s Bio-Mine Ltd. has a “game-changing environmental technology” that uses “bio-intelligent” organisms that are programmable for targeted metal recovery and remediation. Discovered by Dr. Vasu Appanna, a former Laurentian University dean of science and engineering, the company is said to be driving the mediation sector towards the elusive and ultimate "0-footprint" goal.
The other finalists are Montreal data-miner Goldspot Discoveries, Toronto’s Kore Geosystems, and TradeWind Markets Inc. of New York.
Each finalist will have five minutes to pitch and defend their idea to the panel. Judges will have two minutes to respond and ask questions.
On the panel are: David Harquail, CEO, Franco-Nevada Corporation; Robert Herjavec, CEO, Herjavec Group and judge on ABC Television Network's Shark Tank; Rob McEwen, Chairman & CEO, McEwen Mining; Todd White, COO, Goldcorp Inc. and Bernadette Wightman, President, Cisco Canada.
Goldcorp and Todd White have committed $1,000,000 for a proof of concept at one of its mines or investment in the winning technologies. The remaining four judges will represent $100,000 each.
