The mining industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by need for improved productivity and safety, cost control and reduced environmental impact. New technologies such as GPS, new drilling technologies, 3d mapping and geo-modelling, autonomous equipment and process controls can improve the success of mining activities, reduce the environmental impact and improve productivity at mines. In the last three years alone, there have been over 62,000 patents filed and granted in the mining industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Extraction technology in mining: extraction by leaching. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 70,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the mining industry, there are 40+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Extraction by leaching is a key innovation area in extraction technology
Leaching extracts valuable minerals from ore using either heap leaching or in-situ leaching process. Precious metals including gold are extracted from their ores using cyanide or ozone leaching. Acid leaching is used to extract radioactive metals such as uranium. The appropriate metal extraction leaching method is chosen based on economic and environmental viability.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 90+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established mining companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of extraction by leaching.
Key players in extraction by leaching – a disruptive innovation in the mining industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to extraction by leaching
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Metso Outotec | 1165 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ENEOS | 545 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Vale | 256 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Jinchuan Group | 198 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Barrick Gold | 161 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BHP | 123 | Unlock Company Profile |
| POSCO | 102 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AEM Canada Group | 98 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nemaska Lithium | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Freeport-McMoRan | 74 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Teck Resources | 64 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Outokumpu | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Grinm Advanced Materials | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dowa | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| eEnergy Group | 60 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Heraeus | 56 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zijin Mining Group | 51 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Newmont | 45 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Energy Investment | 44 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Korea Zinc | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IGO | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ArcelorMittal | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MMC Norilsk Nickel | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Anglo Operations | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tivan | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Yunnan Chihong Zinc and Germanium | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| South32 | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Reed Industrial Minerals | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dundee Resources | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Aurubis | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lixivia | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JFE | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tata Steel | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| EnviroLeach Technologies | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsui Mining & Smelting | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Proterial | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Luksic Group | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Eldorado Gold | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Scandium International Mining | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lithium Australia | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Iluka Resources | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Mining | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Neste | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xstrata Queensland | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sociedad Punta Del Cobre | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sepro Mineral Systems | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Rio Tinto | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Graymont | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Metso Outotec is the leading patent filer in extraction by leaching, followed by ENEOS and Vale.
Metso Outotec’s leaching process uses highly effective atmospheric chloride leaching technology, which is combined with VSF solvent extraction and electrowinning technology, to provide a dependable and environmentally sustainable processing method. The copper pressure leaching process concept includes autoclave pressure leaching to produce copper-containing pregnant leach solution. After leaching, there is a neutralization step, followed by copper solvent extraction and electrowinning.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the mining industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Mining.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
