Holding the course on mining research

In mining science, it's a case of researchers being to parents what markets are to adolescents. That’s one of the challenges facing Professor Mark Noppé as he leads the translation and transfer of home-grown research through to operation in mining and minerals processing. Professor Noppé has just taken the reins as chief executive officer of JKTech, which is owned by The University of Queensland’s investment and commercialisation wing, UQ Holdings. Professor Mark Noppe JKTech is a ‘profit-for-purpose’ company committed to advancing industry knowledge by reinvesting all profits into education, research and development that benefits the mining and minerals sectors. It achieves this by taking the results of research and technology from centres like UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) and translating it into practical outcomes, namely increased productivity, lower operating costs and improved sustainability. It was sometimes a matter of offering mature, effective, long-term solutions to a skittish and reactionary investment community, Professor Noppé said. “I do use the analogy about JKTech being the adult in the room to think through what the key argument is versus what the short-term urgent demand appears to be,” he said. "The market works in cycles. There are often lag indicators for example, that inform funding for education and research for universities and unfortunately long-term strategic investment to sustain the skills and the research needed is just not necessarily there consistently. “And I don't think it ever has been. It's always been cyclical and often out of cycle, right? By the time you make these decisions to invest in the research or in students, you're out of sync with the market. “Typically, by the time that research and all those students are trained, you're out of sync with what the market wants and unfortunately that's just a reality.” One of the goals of JKTech under his leadership would be to work closer with the SMI and UQ’s Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT) to develop professional training to fill the knowledge gaps in the industry, Professor Noppé said. “If you want step changes in technology and innovative thinking then training would definitely be one of those key activities. But what I see, is that we go through cycles of demand for knowledge and knowledge transfer. “Something significant like that is obviously pervasive and understood in the industry, however often the knowledge leaves when experienced people move on and isn't necessarily transferred to new generations. “So how do we mentor and provide the professional development such that people continue to learn and add to improvement in our sector as opposed to potentially forgetting or reinventing or resorting back to knee jerk reactions in the way that we tackle and solve problems in practical mining and processing environments?” JKTech said its services were often tailored on a case-by-case basis to deliver value across the mining chain through results that informed optimisation and met the specific needs and budgets of mining and mineral processing operations as well as development of brownfield and greenfield projects. ‘Clients have access to researched and proven solutions, technical expertise, services and training through a team of consultants and specialists, who combined, have extensive experience in geometallurgy, comminution, flotation, separation, blasting, ore characterisation, mineralogical assessment, modelling and more,’ the website says. ‘Our laboratory specialises in delivering high quality, cost effective, and leading characterisation of ore and waste material using test work programs that are fit for purpose.’

Holding the course on mining research

Industry Queensland

Related News

Quick fire – industry news briefs

Board takes the blame for Callide turmoil

Production hurdles hit South32 Cannington

Get access to breaking mining news, now.