Enaex, a subsidiary of Grupo Sigdo Koppers, and JKTech, a technology transfer and subsidiary of The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, have signed a long-term alliance to develop and implement digital solutions aimed at improving the efficiency of mining operations.
The agreement, which will run for twenty years, combines the scientific knowledge and technology development capabilities of JKTech and UQ’s researchers and academics with Enaex’s operational expertise, international reach and close relationships with mining customers. The first stage covers the use and distribution—exclusively in LATAM and Africa—of JK Value Based Ore Control (JKVBOC), a technology that simulates the movement of material after a blast.
In this way, the solution will support more selective extraction, reduce ore losses and dilution, optimize digging and material blending strategies, and improve the information available for downstream processes in the operation, in the most efficient way possible. It also has the potential to contribute to greater plant efficiency, both in processing capacity and in specific energy consumption.
It is worth noting that both companies will work on its technological integration with Bright, Enaex’s digital ecosystem.
The effect of applying the software, together with the interpretation of expert engineering users, translates directly into tangible value for the operation. In one of the studies conducted, the use of this tool made it possible to improve ore recovery by up to 4% and reduce dilution or “ore loss” by 15%, positively impacting the entire value chain.
“This alliance allows us to combine scientific knowledge with operational experience to deliver concrete solutions to our customers. By better understanding how material behaves after a blast, we can contribute to higher ore recovery and a more efficient operation,” said Edmundo Jiménez, CEO Enaex Australia.
The agreement will enable Enaex teams to use JKVBOC to develop services and projects, with the option of offering the solution to their customers. For JKTech, this milestone represents a further step in its mission to turn applied research into solutions used directly by industry.
JKTech was created to connect the knowledge developed at the University with real mining challenges. Enaex brings the operational capabilities, reach and customer relationships needed to take this technology from validation to everyday application on site.
“The complementary nature of both organizations creates a very valuable collaborative relationship to keep innovating, and it is another excellent example of how UQ and JKTech are expanding their presence, impact and activities in Chile, while strengthening the capabilities and reach of our current 40-person SMI Chile team in Santiago,” said Professor Rick Valenta, Director of UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute and a member of the JKTech Board.
The alliance is the result of nearly three years of joint work and was designed with a long-term vision. Although this first stage will focus on JKVBOC, both organizations will seek to extend the collaboration to new solutions that address other challenges across the mining value chain.
About Enaex
Enaex is the leading provider of comprehensive rock fragmentation services in Chile and Latin America. With more than 100 years in the market, it serves major open-pit and underground mining operations and has a direct presence in Chile, Brazil, South Africa, France, Australia, Peru, the United States, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, in addition to exporting its products to more than 40 countries across five continents.
About JKTech
JKTech is the technology transfer company of the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) at The University of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1986 as the commercial arm of the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) and incorporated as an independent company in 2001 under UQ Holdings Pty Ltd, JKTech turns more than five decades of mining and mineral processing research into solutions that can be applied on site: technical consulting, laboratory services for ore characterization, simulation software—including JKSimBlast, JKSimMet, JKSimFloat and JKVBOC—and professional training programs covering the entire value chain, from geology and blasting to concentration. It operates under a profit-for-purpose model: its surplus is reinvested in educating students, developing new technologies and improving industry operations. Headquartered in Brisbane, it has a presence in South America through SMI Chile.
