I-ROX, a groundbreaking pulse-power technology that shatters mine ores using strong surges of electricity, is gaining investors, including a Bill Gates-backed climate funding programme. The technology, from private US company I-Pulse Inc, presents an energy-saving, low-emission mineral processing method.
Crushing and grinding rocks and mineral ores using the usual method consumes more energy than any other mining process and is also the most expensive. Pulse-power technology is an alternative method to this that massively reduces the amount of energy it takes to break up rocks and ore for mineral exploration and processing, and emits less carbon too.
As the mining sector is currently striving to become a cleaner and more sustainable industry while also facing increasing pressure to meet ESG criteria, I-Pulse arrives at the perfect time. The efficient process would make it easier for metal producers to meet demands on them to lower their carbon footprint.
About I-ROX
Where did it come from?
I-ROX is a venture from I-Pulse, a leading international developer of pulse-power technologies for commercial use, co-founded by financier Robert Friedland.
The venture has become a collaboration with its $12.3-million (€12-million) investor, Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures-Europe (BEV-E), a billion-dollar investment fund that finances projects that develop ‘green’ technology that lowers carbon emissions.
The news that I-ROX received the $12.3 million in funding from the group was announced by I-Pulse on 22 November 2022. This capital will speed up I-ROX’s journey to becoming a mining application that saves power and creates fewer carbon emissions.
How does it work?
Pulsed-power technology delivers brief, quick, high-intensity surges of power for various applications. The energy it creates is equivalent to the power of a nuclear reactor, and it releases this power in a millionth of a second.
It has been used in mineral exploration and high-speed welding as well as for other applications and has been found to be a fast and effective way of shattering mineral ores and rocks in mines that is far more, carbon-, energy-, and time-efficient than the current methods of crushing and grinding rocks.
At present, crushing and grinding processes make up a massive 4% of the world’s total energy usage, so reducing this would be significant for the industry.
The crushing and grinding process typically happens across multiple stages, but I-ROX will take the place of several stages of the process, part of the reason it saves so much energy.
—
Looking for a reliable mining recruitment partner for your projects in Africa, Australia, or Canada? CA Mining can help. Take a look at our range of customisable staffing solutions or get in touch to speak to one of our consultants.
—
Seeking a job with mining projects in Africa, Canada, or Australia? Visit our job board to see the latest industry vacancies, with roles in fields such as mining engineering, mining finance, geology, management, drilling, and more, and apply today.
