Most recently, YaKum has been working closely with several top, mid and small-tier mining companies to: (a) review PMs and base metal projects; and (b) identify opportunities for value creation and designing testing programs to confirm, develop and implement these opportunities.
Dr. Peter Kondos and Dr. Yeonuk Choi received the 2019 MetSoc Innovation Award during the Copper 2019 Conference held in Vancouver, BC, Canada on Aug 20, 2019. Barrick Gold Corp was the recipient of the 2019 MetSoc Innovation Award for developing and commercializing the Hot Cure and Lime Boiling Process to recover silver from the pressure oxidation process.
The purpose of the Innovation award is to support the important role of innovation as a fundamental foundation to the development and growth of the Canadian metallurgical and materials industries. The award recognizes outstanding innovation in the industry, specifically innovations which are implemented and practiced commercially and to which a company or group of individuals are the prime contributors.
The innovation to be rewarded should have been successfully adapted in a commercial scale operation. Recognizing the long lead-time to industrial acceptance of an innovation, a 15-year maximum duration from first demonstration should be used as a guideline. The contributions and impact must be to the benefit of Canada.
Peter Kondos of YaKum Consulting Inc. has been nominated Board member in the Canadian branch in support of branding and promotion of Mining3 mining technologies in North America (March 2019 - Mining3 Canada Update ). Industry collaboration & business development through the development of strategic partnerships and consortia. Partnership with YaKum Consulting in transforming mining through the integration of mining & processing close to the mining face.
In October 2018, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) launched the Crush It! Challenge, a prize-based program designed in collaboration with the mining industry that is seeking transformative solutions to reduce the amount of energy used for crushing and grinding rocks in Canada’s mines. Part of the Impact Canada Initiative’s Clean Technology Stream, this $10 million program is designed to help transform and expand the mining R&D ecosystem by accelerating breakthrough technologies to increase environmental performance and productivity, help Canada meet its climate change and environmental objectives, and support Canada’s transition towards a low-carbon economy. One critical component of the Crush It! Challenge was the requirement for semi-finalists to deliver technical presentations to a Challenge Jury, comprised of recognized experts in mineral processing and mining innovation, clean technology, academia, and industry. Peter Kondos of YaKum Consulting Inc. is a member of this Challenge Jury and participated to the presentations that took place in Toronto, Ontario on March 3, 2019, during the PDAC Meeting. The jury selected the six finalists and will continue its mandate until the final winner is selected by the end of 2020 (January 2019 - Crush It! Challenge Meet the jury).
NSERC aims to make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports university students in their advanced studies, promotes and supports discovery research, and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in postsecondary research projects. NSERC researchers are on the vanguard of science, building on Canada’s long tradition of scientific excellence. The Discovery Grants is a pivotal program available to foster transformational academic research. Peter Kondos of YaKum Consulting Inc. has been appointed as a member of the NSERC Materials and Chemical Engineering Evaluation Group for a three-year term ending on June 30, 2021 (October 2018 – NSERC Materials and Chemical Engineering Committee ).
Tessenderlo Kerley Inc. (TKI) organized a meeting with YaKum Consulting Inc. to overview capabilities, current status of alternative lixiviant technology/market potential, relative areas of possible value to develop, alternative possibilities for TKI chemistries, and how our collaboration can leap frog some of these developments. Future collaboration will focus on the potential opportunity map and path forward actions relative to TKI progressing in the area of alternative lixiviants (September 2018).
YaKum Consulting Inc. was invited by a mining company to advise an operation of complex sulphides in enabling metal recoveries and producing high-quality concentrates (Pb/Ag, Zn & Au) according to the original design criteria. Amongst the main achievements of this Phase I of the Program was in assisting the process team to: