The agreement was signed by Orica managing director and CEO Ian Smith and CSIRO CEO Dr Megan Clark on the sidelines of the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne.

Smith said the two organisations had been engaged in a hunt for innovation across the mining value chain for the past five years and that had yielded pleasing results.

“The second alliance agreement signed today will allow a number of these ground breaking research projects to continue their progression towards commercialisation,” he said.

Clark said CSIRO’s relationship with Orica over the past five years had produced many outstanding innovations.

She said this agreement would give the research body even more opportunity for its science to make a difference to industry and the community.

Research milestones achieved during the alliance include:

• Development of a catalyst system targeting greenhouse gas abatement in high pressure nitric acid plants. If successful the potential exists to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide by up to 70% compared to operation without abatement. Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Commercial trials are due to start later this year;
• Awarding a patent on conductive polymers as an alternative technology to replace wire in detonating systems. These polymers have the potential to improve reliability and durability; and
• Filing a patent application this year for a method of ore waste boundary mapping that minimises ore dilution. This technology is in the process of being commercialised.