SA Envirominerals Limited gets $33,000 funding to develop new technology in mineral extraction

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Image credit: flickr User: Black Rock

South Australian mineral extraction company, Envirominerals Limited, has received a $33,000 grant to develop revolutionary technology that will drastically reduce energy costs and consumption in mineral extraction of multiple metal species, including copper, gold, silver, palladium, platinum, and zinc, to name just a few.

Image credit: flickr User: Black Rock
Image credit: flickr User: Black Rock

“Envirominerals Limited is a local family business that will use the innovation voucher to scientifically analyse and improve the process for mineral extraction. The State Government will provide Envirominerals Limited with $33,000 to partner with the University of South Australia to translate lab-based research and experimentation into commercial production,” said Minister for Science and Information Gail Gago in a news release.

“Envirominerals Limited will contribute a further $16,500 to engage the services of other local businesses in Adelaide to develop the technology. Supporting local inventions is vital if South Australia is to stay ahead of the competition and solve emerging challenges. Investing in science, research and innovation improves our productivity and creates new jobs for South Australians.”

The company was awarded the funding as part of the State Government’s Innovation Voucher Program, while the vouchers are funded under the Premier’s Research and Industry Fund.

The Program is aimed at providing support for the collaboration between businesses and research providers to develop new and innovative products, processes and systems.

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The company will be collaborating with researchers from the University of South Australia to quantify the research and production models.

“For our State to prosper, we need to support partnerships between researchers and industry to increase opportunities to develop new products and services and innovative solutions,” said South Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Don Bursill.

“The core innovation refines the traditional process of mineral extraction, known as electroextraction, whilst also reducing energy consumption and increasing metals extraction rates. The new technology will allow mineral extraction companies to recover virtually all of the target minerals, whilst reducing energy costs by up to 70 per cent, depending on the application,” said Andrew Graham, Chief Technical Officer at Envirominerals Limited.

According to Mr Graham, this breakthrough technology is considered a gigantic technological advance in the electroextraction industry.

If you want to learn more about the Innovation Voucher Program, please visit www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/ivp