Chile copper giant Codelco is inviting companies around the world to submit by October this year “technical-economic” offers to license a range of underground mining and mineral processing devices and systems it has patented.
Codelco, the state-owned copper company, is running an online prequalification process. It is looking for groups to advance development of the range of patented inventions, partly to solve its own technical and economic challenges.
“Our current transformation process requires attracting the best available capacities to solve short, medium and long-term challenges, considering the situation and projection of current tasks and ongoing structural projects to continue contributing to the country’s development for 50 more years,” executive president of Codelco, Octavio Araneda said.
The company’s corporate innovation manager, Julio Diaz said the “very disruptive proposal” was potentially a “win-win because different actors in the ecosystem can access protected technology and Codelco benefits from linking with external talent and capabilities”.
The Codelco IP covers eight underground mining mechanisation, electronic and fragmentation technologies, five pyrometallurgy and three electrowinning technologies, a flotation conditioning process, and three pre-concentration and crushing products.
The various devices and systems are listed at http://www.opencodelco.cl, where firms can apply for further evaluation.
Codelco says it will authorise successful applicants to use, manufacture and commercialise its IP under a royalty or some other arrangement.
