Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation
Encyclopedia
The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) is a mining industry research initiative, collaboratively funded by the private sector and government. CEMI was established in 2007, as a not for profit corporation. CEMI's focused research is in hardrock underground mining. Dr. Peter K. Kaiser is the President and CEO of CEMI and also a Professor of Mining Engineering
, Chair for Rock Engineering and Ground Control, and Director of the Geomechanics Research Centre (now the GRC within Mirarco
) at Laurentian University
Capitalizing on the mining related infrastructure in Northern Ontario
(both physical and knowledge-based), CEMI is mandated to develop research excellence in four key priority areas:
Industry focused strategic R&D projects constitute the primary focus for CEMI. These projects embrace topics identified by industry as having top priority for further research and are consistent with CEMI’s strategic objective to become a global leader in specific research niches. Within these niche areas to date, four strategic research projects (SRPs) have been initiated: Footwall/Offset Geological Studies in the Sudbury Basin
(“Footwall”), GeoRisk Mitigation for Mining Highly Stressed Ore Bodies at Depth (“GeoRisk”), Mine Design to Extract Optimal Mining Value (“ValueMine”), and Underground Mine Development (“DevelopMine”).
Most recently, CEMI will receive $4,250,600 million dollars from the Government of Canada
to install, test and measure the efficacy of novel Ventilation on Demand technologies to decrease energy costs and increase productivity.
($5 million), Ontario Government ($10 million) and the City of Greater Sudbury ($50,000) in a combination of cash and in-kind contributions over the following three years. In 2007 CEMI was formally established as a not for profit corporation.
Mining engineering
Mining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, the theory, the science, the technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.Mineral...
, Chair for Rock Engineering and Ground Control, and Director of the Geomechanics Research Centre (now the GRC within Mirarco
MIRARCO
Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation, or MIRARCO, is the "largest not-for-profit applied research firm in North America." MIRARCO is made up of three primary divisions: CEM, GRC, and EVO....
) at Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
Capitalizing on the mining related infrastructure in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
(both physical and knowledge-based), CEMI is mandated to develop research excellence in four key priority areas:
- mineral explorationMineral explorationMineral exploration is the process of finding ore to mine. Mineral exploration is a much more intensive, organized and professional form of mineral prospecting and, though it frequently uses the services of prospecting, the process of mineral exploration on the whole is much more involved.-Stages...
- deep mining
- integrated mine engineeringMining engineeringMining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, the theory, the science, the technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.Mineral...
- environment and sustainability
Industry focused strategic R&D projects constitute the primary focus for CEMI. These projects embrace topics identified by industry as having top priority for further research and are consistent with CEMI’s strategic objective to become a global leader in specific research niches. Within these niche areas to date, four strategic research projects (SRPs) have been initiated: Footwall/Offset Geological Studies in the Sudbury Basin
Sudbury Basin
The Sudbury Basin, also known as Sudbury Structure or the Sudbury Nickel Irruptive, is a major geologic structure in Ontario, Canada. It is the second-largest known impact crater or astrobleme on Earth, as well as one of the oldest....
(“Footwall”), GeoRisk Mitigation for Mining Highly Stressed Ore Bodies at Depth (“GeoRisk”), Mine Design to Extract Optimal Mining Value (“ValueMine”), and Underground Mine Development (“DevelopMine”).
Most recently, CEMI will receive $4,250,600 million dollars from the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
to install, test and measure the efficacy of novel Ventilation on Demand technologies to decrease energy costs and increase productivity.
History
In November 2003 the Ontario Government by way of the Ontario Mineral Industry Cluster Council (OMICC) started to develop a “cluster approach" for the mineral resources industry within Ontario. This approach involved bringing together key stakeholders from Ontario’s mineral sector-related industries, organizations, and government agencies. In 2006 the initial seed funding was provided by Vale Inco ($5 million), XstrataXstrata
Xstrata plc is a global mining company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of coal , copper, nickel, primary vanadium and zinc and the world's largest producer of ferrochrome...
($5 million), Ontario Government ($10 million) and the City of Greater Sudbury ($50,000) in a combination of cash and in-kind contributions over the following three years. In 2007 CEMI was formally established as a not for profit corporation.