B.C.’s new Mining Innovation Roadmap aims to strengthen innovation ecosystem

A new mining innovation roadmap funded by the B.C. government seeks to strengthen the province’s mining industry innovation ecosystem.

Existing mining operations and opportunities to secure investment for new mines face numerous global hurdles, according to a July 5 “final draft” copy of the Mining Association of B.C.’s (MABC) new BC Mining Innovation Roadmap, provided to Research Money. The challenges include depleting resources, diminishing ore grades, increasingly complex mineralogy, volatile commodity prices, constrained capital investment, rapid digital transformation, and environmental, social and governance expectations.

“To shine as a mining region for long-term sustainability and competitiveness, we need to collaborate and strengthen our innovation ecosystem to address global trends and tackle regional challenges within B.C. and with partners across Canada and internationally,” the roadmap says.

The B.C. government in January 2019 committed $1 million to work with industry and all levels of government to develop a mining innovation roadmap. The document was developed through a five-month, multi-stakeholder engagement process involving more than 280 participants.

The roadmap, which hasn’t yet been released publicly, recommends that MABC take the lead in establishing a new “BC Mining Innovation Hub” to support communication and knowledge sharing, provide coordination and help increase investment for innovation.

The roadmap states that either the Mining Innovation Hub or MABC should launch or participate in initiatives to enhance ecosystem connections focusing on industry challenges and emerging opportunities. The government should create a “responsible” metals and minerals market development strategy.

Another recommendation suggests that a “mining innovation leadership position” be created in the provincial government. Also, the government should partner with universities and industry to establish a “Demonstration Mine” for testing innovative technologies not yet ready for mining operations.

In addition, MABC and BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources should establish a co-led industry and government risk-based regulatory framework to accelerate innovation adoption. The roadmap recommends the development of a regulatory “sandbox” to test new regulatory approaches. “It is recognized that the comprehensive and complex regulatory system currently in place in B.C. is stifling [mining] operations.”

B.C.’s mining sector provides direct and indirect employment to more than 33,000 workers and generates $3 billion in economic activity, representing 7% of provincial GDP in 2018.

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