Mining accelerator targets $148M to fast-track Canadian tech innovation

The Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) wants Ottawa to fund a second five-year program that would help Canadian mining technology companies reach global markets faster.

MICA, based in Sudbury and operated by the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), presented its $148-million funding proposal to 273 participants during a March 26 webinar. The organization argues that Canadian small and medium enterprises lead global mining innovation but struggle to commercialize their breakthrough technologies quickly enough.

"Sixty-five per cent of all mining jobs in the industry are in the SMEs, and new mines, although they will be very important in the long term, they take years to develop," Douglas Morrison, CEMI's president and CEO, explained. "So increasing export revenue in the SMEs is the fastest way to increase mining's contribution to the Canadian economy."

Proven track record drives expansion push

MICA's first phase, launched in 2022 with $40 million from the federal Strategic Innovation Fund, generated impressive returns that strengthen its case for expanded funding. Kyle McCall, CEMI's director of commercialization services, reports that every dollar invested in MICA produced an eight-dollar return, mobilizing more than $274 million for Canadian mining technologies.

The program supported 70 projects across Canada over five years, engaging 400 companies and helping 58 projects gain commercial traction. Among these successes, six companies developed pilot projects, 31 completed validation trials, and 21 successfully deployed their solutions commercially.

Halifax-based KorrAI exemplifies MICA's impact. The company integrates real-time sensors with satellite data for advanced ground motion monitoring, improving measurement accuracy by 45 percent. Five mine operators have adopted the technology, and KorrAI now manages over $1 billion in assets while expanding its AI solutions portfolio.

New program targets market-ready technologies

Charles Chamirai Nyabeze, MICA's director, acknowledges that Canadian mining technology companies take too long moving from concept to commercialization. The proposed MICA-2 program would focus on companies at Technology Readiness Levels 7 to 9—those closest to market deployment.

"MICA-2 focuses on the critical stage where technologies move from development to real-world deployment," Nyabeze noted. The program would offer three funding streams: Technology Demonstration for on-site testing and validation; commercialization and Innovation adoption for first deployments and market entry; and scaled-up projects for manufacturing expansion and multi-site deployment.

The initiative prioritizes technologies addressing federal government priorities including production efficiency, digitalization, automation, and environmental sustainability. MICA plans to expand its network by adding innovation centers, academic institutions, and industry groups to create stronger connections across Canada's mining technology ecosystem.

MICA expects Ottawa's funding decision by June, with program launch potentially beginning in August if approved. The organization continues collecting letters of support to strengthen its proposal for what could become Canada's most significant mining technology commercialization initiative.

More information is posted at www.MicaNetwork.ca