Innovation is important to Saskatchewan's minerals industry and the province. That is why the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) was formed in 2012, and introduced new funds to support research, development and demonstration of innovations that matter to mining in 2017. It is also why IMII, in cooperation with the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA), introduced DEMOday in 2018.
DEMOday 2018 was a first-time event in which supply chain companies presented their innovations directly to Saskatchewan's major mining companies and had them considered for further review and potentially financial and in-kind support, to help move them down the path to commercialization. Innovations aren't innovations if they are not put to use, and supply chain companies were invited to pitch their innovation sin equipment, technologies, products or processes to industry members that may be used to improve one or more of the pillars of industry sustainability - economic, environmental or social performance.
On Tuesday, April 10th, and on the eve of the 10th Annual Saskatchewan Mining Supply Chain Forum, five innovations that matter to mining were presented to a panel of representatives from Saskatchewan's leading minerals companies in the International Minerals Innovation Institute's inaugural DEMOday. They were:
Supply chain companies were invited to submit innovations they believe would be of value to mineral companies' existing operations and can be advanced down the path to commercialization with assistance from IMII. The innovations must be applicable to more than one mining company to be considered for this event. For the IMII, innovation involves ideas, discoveries, or tools that may change or create new scientific or engineering concepts or educational and/or training practices that, if put into use, would benefit the minerals industry.
IMII's collaborative activities in this regard may include pilots or tests projects, proof of concept, prototypes, feasibility analyses, research, development or demonstrations of any other type of project that produces improved knowledge, practices or technology useful in filling an innovation need that matters to mining.
Successful proposals will be considered fro funding under IMII's Operationalizing Innovations program, and may be a candidate for the Saskatchewan Commercial Innovation Incentive if subsequently commercially developed in the province.
