Innovation Research & Development Needs
Background Papers 2008
Innovation, Research & Development Needs in Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy
April 2008 - An expert background paper illustrating the importance of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy in the Canadian mining industry currently and for the next 5 to 10 years.
- National and global trends (costs, demand, compliance to standards, etc.)
- Innovation issues, needs
- Solutions to adequately respond to those trends
The document also contains 3 appendices:
1- R&D Alignment with Various Policy Initiatives and Strategies
2- Major Canadian R&D Centres and Expertise, Comparative Assessment of Certain International R&D Activities
3- List of Major International Universities and R&D Institutions
Click here to download Innovation, Research & Development Needs in Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy
Innovation, Research & Development Needs in Mining Environment
April 2008 - An expert background paper describing and discussing each domain of required environmental research, current as well as emerging research needs.
- Prediction
- Waste management
- Process, surface, and mine water treatment
- Hazards and risks
- Closure and rehabilitation
- Climate change
The document also contains 3 appendices:
1- Expertise in Environment with Mining Applications
2- Expertise Compared with Other Countries
3- Relationships between Themes and Impacts on Desirable Outcomes
Click here to download Innovation, Research and Development Needs in Mining Environment
Innovation, Research & Development Needs in Exploration
April 2008 - An expert background paper presenting the required recognition and support for the innovation needs in a knowledge-based industry to sustain the current level of economic performance.
- Identifies current and coming hurdles to meeting capacity, training and exploration-related research needs (funding issues, industry initiatives, intellectual property requirements, etc.)
- Assesses research capacity
- Assesses potential benefits to industry and to Canada
The document also contains 4 appendices:
1- Who is Doing What in Mineral Exploration Science?
2- Suggested Centres for Mining/Exploration Research
3- Terms
4- Acronyms
Click here to download Innovation, Research and Development Needs in Exploration
Innovation, Research & Development Needs in Mining Extraction
April 2008 - An expert background paper characterizing the six priority areas for research and innovation within the minerals and metals extraction sector that can help the industry address the challenges and requirements of remaining competitive while addressing a wide range of increasingly important issues (environmental, workforce, health and safety, efficiency, geography, etc.).
- Drilling and rock fragmentation
- Engineering the workplace environment
- Mining engineering
- Backfill and related technologies
- Communications, control systems and automation
- Energy efficiency
The paper documents a number of institutional locations of expertise, knowledge and infrastructure available to tackle the challenges related to mining extraction.
Click here to download Innovation, Research and Development Needs in Mining Extraction
International Mining Strategies
April 2008 - An expert paper that discusses mining strategies in other parts of the world, including:
- United States
- Australia
- European Union
- South Africa
- Chile
Click here to download International Mining Strategies
Federal Funding Mechanisms for Mining R&D
June 2008 - This report discusses federal funding mechanisms for research and innovation that are relevant to the mining industry in Canada.
Various potential funding opportunities are listed, including:- National Resources Canada (NRCan)
- National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- National Research Council (NRC)
- Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
- Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE)
Click here to download Federal Funding Mechanisms for Mining R&D
Click here to download an updated version of Federal Funding Mechanisms for Mining R&D - 2010
Compendium of Provincial & Territorial Minerals & Mining Strategies
June 2008 - The main implications from the scan of Provincial / Territorial (P/T) mining strategies are:
- There is an opportunityto both reflect andlever the common areas of strategic vision and objectives found across P/T mining strategies and recognize the broader mining agenda set out in many P/T mining strategies (i.e., Aboriginal participation, social license to operate, productivity, international trade, environmental issues, etc.).
- The Pan-Canadian Mining Research and Innovation Strategy can draw attention to the opportunities for pan-Canadian and international research collaborations that are not always given a high profile within existing P/T mining strategies. In addition, the absence of research priority-setting processes within current P/T mining strategies is a critical gap that CMIC can help address.
- CMIC can help build on P/T mining strategies through providing a diagnostic of the research challenges the mining sector faces.
- More generally, many P/T governments are taking strong actions to strengthen the position of their mining industries. The Pan-Canadian Mining Research and Innovation Strategy should recognize the great value of this work by P/T governments, take note of the progress that has been made by P/T governments, and emphasize how CMIC can build on this progress to move the entire industry to a new performance level.
Click here to download A Compendium of Provincial & Territorial Minerals & Mining Strategies
