Wheaton declares Cetos Water as winner of its Future of Mining Challenge 

Wheaton Precious Metals has announced Cetos Water as the winner of its second annual Future of Mining Challenge. Cetos Water has received a US$1 million award for its technology, which transforms mining wastewater into clean, reusable water.

"Cetos Water's approach to tackling one of mining's most pressing challenges exemplifies the type of bold, practical innovation we set out to support through the Future of Mining Challenge. Their technology has the potential to improve how water is managed across mining operations, and we are proud to award them with $1 million to continue to advance their work," Randy Smallwood, CEO of Wheaton, stated.

"The mining industry continues to explore new ways to integrate sustainable solutions into core operations, and emerging technologies like this show strong promise in driving meaningful change. Cetos Water is working to enable more efficient reuse of water at mine sites by providing a low-energy, solvent-based approach. We are pleased to support a solution that has the potential to contribute to stronger environmental outcomes across the sector," Haytham Hodaly, president of Wheaton, added.

The Future of Mining Challenge, launched in September 2024, focused on identifying innovative technologies for sustainable water management in mining.

"Water is quickly becoming a defining constraint on mining operations worldwide — shaping project timelines, operating costs, production throughput, and permitting risk," Shannon Knee, founder and CEO of Cetos Water, said.

"Cetos Water seeks to transform complex wastewater from a liability into a resilient resource: supporting discharge compliance and reducing tailings liabilities in water-abundant regions, while unlocking unconventional water supply in water-scarce areas. We're honored to be recognized by Wheaton Precious Metals and to help advance a more sustainable, water-secure future for mining worldwide."

The second annual Future of Mining Challenge, delivered in partnership with the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, attracted numerous high-quality applications globally. This underscores the growing momentum for innovation aimed at making mining more sustainable. Finalists pH7 Technologies and H2nanO also participated in a technology showcase, presenting their solutions to industry stakeholders.

Wheaton congratulates all participating ventures and expressed encouragement regarding the range of solutions driving meaningful progress in the mining sector. The third edition of the challenge will focus on technologies that reduce land impact through more efficient mining and processing. Applications for the 2026-2027 Future of Mining Challenge will open later this year.

To learn more, please visit www.FutureofMining.ca