Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator network issues third round of pan-Canadian call for proposals

Issuing its third pan-Canadian call for proposals from innovative clean-tech companies for the mining industry, the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) network, supported by the Government of Canada, hopes to once again drive the nationwide commodity toward modernization through efficiency and sustainability.

Created in 2021 through a strategic C$40 million (US$29.4 million) investment from the Canadian government's Strategic Innovation Fund, the MICA network was implemented to bridge innovation and commercialization gaps that delay commercial success, both domestically and globally.

Now, through a C$100 million (US$73.6 million) and climbing pan-Canadian initiative that aims to bring stakeholders from all fields involved in the industry together, the latest offering continues to target what the program views as vulnerabilities in the chain that will link Canada and its resource industry to the modern age.

"We are very pleased to be able to champion emerging made-in-Canada innovations within the global mining industry through the MICA program," said MICA Network Director Chamirai Charles Nyabeze. "The MICA network is advancing innovations that will enable the global mining industry to produce the minerals and metals necessary for the energy and green transition."

Headquartered in Sudbury, Ontario, MICA is essentially a national innovative ecosystem hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation. It aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative clean technologies in the mining sector, produce high-impact clean-tech innovations in mining, and ultimately uplift the lagging perception of the industry, as a whole, from stewardship of environmental, social, and governance standards.

For the latest call, the MICA program is seeking solutions in key categories: increase mine production capacity at lower cost; reduce mining energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; implement smart, autonomous mining systems; and reduce environmental risk and long-term liabilities.

As it stands, the program has allocated C$27.5 million (US$20.2 million) toward funding this innovative drive and invites MICA members to apply for the remaining C$2.5 million (US$1.8 million).

Applicants can visit MICA's website for additional information and detailed instructions on applying. Applicants are required to submit an initial application no later than March 18, 2024.

"The demand for Canadian minerals in new green technologies is growing as we aim to reduce carbon emissions in several major high-demand global industries, like energy, aerospace, and transportation," said the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. "The call for proposals launched by MICA today will ensure that small and medium-sized businesses are involved in commercializing late stage, high-impact clean technologies, helping Canada seize economic opportunities and thrive in a net-zero future."