Adele SeymonAMIRA International

Pathways to a sustainable future through Collaborative Research:

the WAXI model

An integrated program of research and data gathering into its "anatomy“

To augment the capacity of local institutions

AMIRA InternationalP934A West African eXploration Initiative Stage 2 (WAXI)

Key features of WAXI:

• Public-Private Partnership co-funded by industry and governments, coordinated by AMIRA International

• Integrated programs of:ResearchData Integration and ManagementCapacity Building via courses and scholarships

• Provides a powerful networking forum that includesmajor stakeholders in West Africa:

Industry Geological Surveys and Ministries of MinesUniversities Aid agencies (AusAID)

WAXI – An example of successful collaboration

• Project Leader: Mark Jessell, CET-UWA• A network of 50 African & International Organisations• Coordinated by AMIRA International• Focus: Tectonics & Mineral Resources of West Africa• Stage 1: 2006-2007• Stage 2: 2010-2013• Stage 3: 2014-2018• Funding >US$6M prior to Stage 3• Bilingual English-French

consortium• http://waxi2.org

WAXI – An example of successful collaboration

Project outcomes:• New data

• At a range of scales (from Craton to deposit)• Synthesis

• Harmonised maps• GIS dataset (with layers unique to the WAXI project)

• 6 WAXI funded and 30 additional Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral projects, half of them African

MScPhDPDF

WAXI – An example of successful collaboration

WAXI 2 training

• Annual commitment to 5 WAXI courses

• 20 total days of training• 100 total participants

Data Metallogenica www.dmgeode.com

Purpose of DM:• Repository of data (global coverage for all deposit types

(currently >5,000 deposits)• High quality technical data resource

• Reference (information resource)• Teaching and training

AMIRA International: Enabling collaboration

Who we are: AMIRA International is an independent global member-based organisation of mining and supplier companies

What do we do: Develop, broker, facilitate and manage collaborative research projects

Countries with Research ProvidersCountries with Sponsors/MembersAMIRA Offices

AMIRA International: A global network

AMIRA International: Our members

10

Operators

Explorers

METS

AMIRA International: Our business model

AMIRA

ResearchOrg 1

ResearchOrg 2

ResearchOrg N

Sponsor1

Sponsor 2

Sponsor N

Competitors

AMIRA

ResearchOrg 1

ResearchOrg 2

ResearchOrg N

Sponsor 1

AMIRA

ResearchOrg 1

ResearchOrg 2

ResearchOrg N

Sponsor 1

Sponsor 2 Non-competitor

1. Consortia of peers prepared to collaborate on a problem –finding and engaging the right people to deliver the solution

2. Identify and engage researchers/technology providers to solve a problem specific to a member

3. Technology scouting: identify existing solutions to challenges that members may have

AMIRA: Projects developed across the value chain with an increased emphasis on integration

Large scale R&D projects,

2 - 4 year duration and $0.3m - $1m

annual budgets

Exploration Geoscience Mining

Mineral Processing and Metallurgy

Multi-Disciplinary

• Discovery technologies• Ore genesis• Vectors to ore• Regional studies• Data compilations• Data Metallogenica

• Comminution energy use

• Flotation recovery• Extraction selectivity• Reagent and water

recovery

• OH&S• Environment

• Productivity• Mine safety• Reduced

Operating costs• Improved mine

design

• Increased revenue from improved product quality and improved product recovery

• Integration of mining and subsequent processing• Optimisation of resource characterisation for optimal

production and recovery

Sustainability

• Energy • Water management

AMIRA’s collaborative record for the exploration industryRegional Framework Studies West Africa eXploration Initiative (P934, P934A,

P934B)

South China Craton (P950)

Yilgarn (P437, P482, P624, P763, P710)

Technology / Technique Development Geophysics (P223, P407, P1022, P1036, P1058)

Geochemistry (P778, P778A, P710A, P972)

Geometallurgy (P843, P843A)

Data Compilations & Roadmaps Data Metallogenica (P1040)

Australian Geoscience Thesis Database (P874)

Copper Technology Roadmap (P813)

Drilling Technology Roadmap (P903) -> DET CRC

Uncover Roadmap (P1162) -> Stage 2

Ore Deposit Model Studies Epithermal & Porphyry Deposits (P765A, P1060, P1153)

Sediment-hosted Copper Deposits (P872)

Stress Transfer Modelling of Gold Deposits (P718A)

Nickel Deposits (P710A, P962)

Sediment-hosted Gold Deposits (P923)

Diamond Indicator Minerals (P891)

AMIRA’s collaborative record for Exploration

Smarter exploration through:

Better insights

Better technologies

More effective practices

Developed and managed 202 collaborative projects over the last 55 years$170 million (in 2014 A$) has been invested by industry

Why collaborate?

Major technical obstacles are overcome

Technology approaches the physical limit

Time

Perf

orm

ance

Inde

x

Ref: Innovation Zen

Perf

orm

ance

Technology B

Time

Technology A

Technology development:

Going it alone to gain a competitive advantage – does it

really last?

Is the ground and quality of the

resource one holds the key?

Overcoming perceived threats of collaboration

• Threat to competitive advantage• Competitors get a “leg up”• Administration / organisation hard to manage

Advantage can come from how knowledge and technology are applied• More rapidly• More effectively• More broadly in the operations, and• To develop and motivate staff

Why collaborate through AMIRA projects?

• Reduces R&D costs – leveraging government funding where possible

• Spreads risk via multiple project involvement

• Access world-class research competency

• Utilise ‘outside’ expertise

• Networking opportunity

• Focus maintained through regular meetings

• Confidential outcomes and free life-time access to IP developed

• Case studies

• Research capacity and infrastructure nurtured

The case for Industry – University collaboration:Everyone benefits: The Mining Company• Access to broader research resources & infrastructure• Access to subject experts, ‘cutting edge’ research• Risk sharing whilst enjoying significant leverage• Ability to focus academic research on practical problems • Capitalise on synergies between peers • Can forge better links with academia• Being seen as good corporate citizen: support local institutions to build capacity• Access to industry-ready students • Access to a ready forum for networking and information exchange• Easier access to government funds• Opportunity for people development and knowledge transfer

The case for Industry – University collaboration:Everyone benefits: Research Organisations• Ability to forge deeper strategic links with industry• Access to – research funding to build larger scale projects

– real-world problems– knowledge and data from many different sites– broader technical knowhow /expertise– commercial knowhow– real world training for students

• Job offers for students

The case for Industry – University collaboration:Everyone benefits: The Nation• Alignment of industry and researcher interests• Efficient use of R&D resources & infrastructure• Leveraging scarce government research funds• Nurture/maintain/grow research capacity• Increased probability of commercialisation of R&D outputs• Reducing duplication• Fostering innovation by encouraging institutions to be

incubators of innovation• Enhancing (two-way) Knowledge & Technology Transfer• Enhancing the knowledge economy and connectedness

Spin off from collaborative activities

• Promote and facilitate private-public-partnerships

• Focus academic research on practical problems and issues

• Help to strengthen the academic and research communities

• Help train and develop the next generation of engineers and scientists

• Foster networking and communication

050

100150200250300350

Uni. Projects No. of Students

Mining Metallurgy other

430 post graduate students trainedby AMIRA (1990- 2004)

• Able to address industry topics that are pre-competitive but have broader economic and social consequences; e.g. health & safety, capacity building

• To enable large scale research problems to be tackled

WAXI 3

Sponsors in kind (Geological Surveys)

Industry Sponsors

Research and Capacity Building

Partners

Project Broker & Coordinator

Funds, Logistical Support, Access to deposits (& Data)

Ideas, Data, Training

Country Data and Logistical Support

Training and new

data

Value proposition for each organisation

AMIRA’s Central East Africa Exploration Initiative (EAXI…)

• Project Leaders: Dr Joas M KABETE, Prof. Kim HEIN, Uni of Witsand Prof. Mark Jessell, CET-UWA

• Stage 1: 12 month pilot program• Focus: gold and base metals mineral systems of Central-East Africa

Liberia Mali

Senegal TogoGhana

Niger Burkina FasoGuinea

Sierra Leone

11 Sponsors in kind (Geological Surveys)

36 Sponsors

22 Research and Capacity Building

Partners

Project Broker & Coordinator

Mauritania

Côte d’Ivoire

THE MODEL FOR INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA-

GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION

FOR PRECOMPETITIVE GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING NATIONS