The #DisruptMining competition recently staged its gala award evening to kick off this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto.

#DisruptMining is a global competition sponsored by Integra Gold Corp and Goldcorp Inc and is designed to showcase individuals, groups and companies that are using exponential technology and disruptive concepts to tackle the vast challenges faced by the mining industry.

From 153 submissions, Cementation Canada was selected as one of five finalists to pitch its innovation in a ‘shark-tank style’ format to a panel of judges that included Rob McEwen, former founder of Goldcorp and Robert Herjavec, a judge on ABC Television Network’s Shark Tank.

At the live sold out finale, Cementation Canada’s Injection Hoisting technology was presented as one of five finalists. Using a combination of existing and proven crushing, pumping and slurry technologies, Cementation developed a proof of concept model for process injection hoisting that eliminates the need for mine shaft production hoisting or trucking, by transporting ore to the surface using a pump driven pipeline loop.

Goldcorp chose to split the US$1 million grand prize between Cementation and Kore Geosystems which proposed installing instruments onto a drill rig that can provide real-time geological data to help better identify potential deposits. Cementation also received the prestigious People’s Choice Award as the audience favourite.

Roy Slack, president of Cementation Canada commented: “It was a great event showcasing just how innovative the mining industry can be and all of us at Cementation are thrilled to have been involved and to have Injection Hoisting so well received.”

During the presentation Cementation asked for a mine to install and develop a full-scale prototype and, by the end of the evening, at least three mining companies had expressed their interest.