At IMII, innovation includes a commitment to real-world problem-solving in Saskatchewan’s mining sector. Through programs like DEMOday, IMII supports companies turning bold ideas into practical tools for the industry.
Two standout success stories from recent years are Rockford Engineering and Ionic Mechatronics, both of whom are now putting their technologies to work underground and delivering measurable results.
Rockford Engineering is a Saskatchewan-based design and engineering firm making waves in the mining sector with innovative solutions that address real operational challenges underground.
One standout development is their live conveyor roller replacement tool—a breakthrough that allows maintenance teams to replace rollers on heavy-duty underground conveyor systems without halting production. In an industry where every minute counts, this solution dramatically reduces downtime and enhances productivity.
Another major innovation is Rockford’s “muck combine”, a mining-duty cleaning system inspired by agricultural machinery. Designed to tackle the problem of material build-up beneath conveyor belts, the muck combine automates what was previously a time-consuming and physically demanding task. “My brain reverted back to the ag industry,” says Michael Kaeding, Rockford’s Key Account Manager. “They have combines to do exactly what we need to do—so we created a mining version to clean up the muck.”
Rockford is also collaborating with Australian firm Southern Innovation to bring real-time ore grade analysis to potash operations—replacing slow, manual sampling with a smarter, integrated system.
IMII supported these initiatives by connecting Rockford with key local stakeholders such as Mosaic and Nutrien, helping de-risk the technology and development. While originally designed for potash, the system’s potential has sparked interest across sectors. “We’re now in talks with uranium companies too,” Kaeding shared.
These innovations are not only helping Rockford streamline operations but are also opening doors to new partnerships with major players, including BHP.
Ontario-based Ionic Mechatronics has been a leader in industrial automation since 1999. Their SafeBox system is redefining what’s possible in lockout/tagout safety procedures. Traditional lockout/tagout processes are time-consuming, causing extended downtimes, especially in complex operations with multiple energy sources, however they are mandatory for employee safety.
SafeBox condenses this entire process into one touchscreen-controlled unit designed for heavy industry. The result? Reduced risk for workers, and massive time savings — one customer reported reducing an 8-hour lockout to just 23 seconds.
“We took our 25 year history of gold-standard safety engineering and we put it into a box that was convenient to retrofit legacy or new machinery,” shares Michael Dolinar B.Sc., CMSE®, Manager – SafeBox. “So that’s where it came from, a career of building extremely safe systems and instilling it into one product that can be bought off the shelf.”
“The real home runs for SafeBox are long-conveyors. The kinds of returns of investment we are seeing – the entire system can be bought and show ROI in less than a month. It can contribute to millions of dollars of increased production capacity each month after that,” he adds.
The next evolution, SafeGap, is already in development. It will provide customers with detailed operational insights — such as usage metrics and lockout durations — while maintaining cybersecurity through hardware-based data bridges. This leap will offer new ways for mining companies to optimize operations and meet safety auditing requirements.
“We have customers who want fine-grained detail about their SafeBox systems” Dolinar explains. “So we invented a new product called SafeGap that will initially be a SafeBox accessory but will protect other safety and critical networks as well. It’s a cybersecurity product where one side of the unit becomes part of the safety network. The other side of the unit can be connected to business and internet-connected networks. The two sides of the SafeGap device are not connected by a network, but connected through the SafeGap cybersecurity module that safely transfers pre-defined data between the networks. It’s not circumventable.” The benefits to employee safety and data security are absolute.
Dolinar adds “IMII has been indispensable. We enjoy working with them and appreciate the introductions they make for us. They’ve been instrumental in getting SafeBox systems in use and getting them deployed in operational industrial environments so we can show other potential customers that the system works as advertised and that it’s trusted. We can’t thank IMII enough for that opportunity.”
Mining companies across North and South America, including Vale and Anglo-American, are already adopting SafeBox. As its footprint grows, Ionic Mechatronics continues to demonstrate how smart automation can drive both safety and productivity.
IMII is proud to support companies like Rockford and Ionic Mechatronics that are bringing innovation to life in the field. These technologies exemplify the kind of innovation that Saskatchewan’s mining sector needs to thrive.
From improving ore recovery and reducing downtime to safeguarding frontline workers, this is what technology in action looks like.
IMII’s office is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. Treaty 6 encompasses the lands of the Cree, Dakota, Nakota, Saulteaux (SO-TOE) and the Homeland of the Métis Nation. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our enduring relationship with one another and recognize the importance of reconciliation in building a shared future.
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