Mineral research consortium receives $2M in funding for technology transfer

Quebec, QC – COREM, a pre-competitive research consortium specializing in the processing and transformation of mineral substances, has received $2 million in federal funding to develop 24 new technologies, organize 21 technology and knowledge transfer activities and conduct 29 new opportunity studies.

The consortium, made up of 18 member establishments, will also pursue its pre-competitive research program, with the processes developed being tested in mining operations in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Saguenay-Lac St-Jean, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec and Montérégie regions.

COREM’s members include Agnico-Eagle Mines, CORUS Group, QIT-FER et Titane, ArceletorMittal Mines Canada, Iron Ore Company of Canada, Xstrata – Zinc, Wabush Mines, IAMGOLD Corporation, Rio Tinto-Alcan and Quebec’s Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune.

In target resource regions, high-performance metallurgical processes are the backbone of a competitive mining industry, and transferring knowledge to mineral processing plants allows these companies to build a solid competitive advantage. Enabling COREM to pursue its project, particularly in this difficult economic period, will help Quebec’s mining companies lower their operating costs and limit the negative impacts of their activities on the environment.