This mining company has invested significantly in exploration and drilling activities to uncover the next wave of major projects across base metals, gold, bauxite and other minerals.

The growth in exploration activity has increased demand for geochemical services by up to 5-times their previous levels. The infrastructure and technology to manage and analyse samples needs to upscale sufficiently to meet this demand.    

If alternative methods for mineral analysis cannot be found, this raises two concerns for the mining company:  

1. Exploration Productivity: Delays may occur while waiting for information and data that can guide exploration decision-making, leading to reduced productivity.
2. Drilling reliability: If geochemical and geophysical results cannot be delivered on time, the exploration team needs to make drilling decisions based on incomplete data. This creates more variability in drilling results and can lead to sub-optimal outcomes.

A solution is required to accurately analyse orebody mineralogy and reduce the time it takes for mineral exploration activities. The solution to this challenge is two-fold:

1. Geophysical technologies: The development and implementation of new technologies for geological surveying to identify the position of mineral-rich orebodies more quickly and precisely.
2. Geochemistry processes and solutions: Alternative methods are needed for geochemical analysis. This could include portable assay technologies, systems to speed up laboratory processing and other innovations.

Phase 1
Suppliers are invited to submit their short-form solution to the challenge by 26 August 2023 for evaluation by Austmine and the mining organisation. A shortlisting process takes place and successful companies are invited to participate in phase 2.

Phase 2
Shortlisted suppliers will be invited to a technical briefing, where each supplier will be able to gain more information about the challenge. Following the technical briefing, suppliers will pitch their solution directly to the mining organisation online. This provides the opportunity to ‘sell’ the solution, gain feedback from operational teams and field questions about the solution.

Phase 3
Following the Pitch Session, a final shortlisting of suppliers takes place. The remaining suppliers are invited to submit a formal technical and economic proposal to solve the challenge.

Winner Announced
The mining organisation will select the best fit solution/s for the challenge and the supplier will work directly with them to trial the technology and implement the solution.

Submission deadline - 26 August 2023

Technical briefing - 4 September 2023

Pitch sessions - 7 September 2023

Final proposal deadline - 20 September 2023