MIRO in joint venture with AMIRA
UK and Australian-based organizations sign MOU aimed at deepening collaborative research and development
THE Mineral Industry Research Organisation Ltd (MIRO) and AMIRA International Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at deepening the level of engagement between the two organizations so as to deliver greater value to their respective members.
AMIRA is an international member-based public company with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1959, it is charged with brokering and managing both multi-company and one-on-one collaborative research and development projects that deliver innovative solutions to business challenges faced by members. Its members comprise a significant proportion of global miners and explorers along with minerals equipment technology and services suppliers.
MIRO, the non-profit membership company founded in 1972 and headquartered in Birmingham, UK, is an international collaborative research and technological development facilitator and provider of collaborative research project-management services to the minerals and related industries.
‘AMIRA and MIRO are sister organizations with similar aims and we intend to leverage off each other’s experience and networks to develop joint projects that will address key challenges faced by the mining industry,’ said Joe Cucuzza, managing director of AMIRA.
‘By working together we will be in an ideal position to assemble the best brains trust, connecting the best solution-providers in and outside Europe to work on the pressing challenges the mining industry is facing and tapping into EC research funding opportunities.
‘The primary objective is to provide enhanced opportunities for the development of new technologies and tools to improve member companies’ performance, most commonly through improved techniques for resource discovery, lower capital and operating costs, improved recoveries from existing resources, and extracting value from resources that, hitherto, have been uneconomic to mine and/or process,’ said Mr Cucuzza (pictured).
AMIRA says the key to its success has been in involving both members and researchers in the design of value projects, and that its relationship with world-class researchers, originally in Australia, but now globally, continues to be a source of success coupled with the engagement of key personnel from many members.
Brian Bone, MIRO’s development director, commented: ‘In recent years, MIRO has relied for its existence on its role as a programme manager for UK and EU programme research funds.
‘Historically, MIRO has developed and overseen AMIRA-type collaborative projects but these have been few in number in recent years. We see the relationship with AMIRA as an opportunity to increase our level of activity in these projects in Europe and elsewhere.
‘Working collaboratively with AMIRA will enable us to expand our reach and, importantly, strengthen our ability to deliver solutions to members of both organizations. This is a positive not only for both our members, but also for the cohort of top researchers in Europe and elsewhere who want to engage with the mining industry to solve its problems and create a more sustainable industry.’
