Outotec has delivered the world's first university based minipilot concentrator to the Department of Process and Environmental Engineering of the University of Oulu, Finland, as part of its active university cooperation. The small research and minerals processing plant is designed for a learning environment and represents the concentrating process of the Pyhäsalmi mine in Finland in the scale of 1:5000. The opening ceremony of the minipilot plant will take place today in Oulu at the International Conference on Sustainable Mineral Processing.
The minipilot concentrator offers an innovative environment for education and research of minerals processing unit operations. The equipment delivered by Outotec will support the University of Oulu's aim to become the global leader in minerals processing technology research. In addition to Outotec's delivery, Schneider Electric has delivered the automation and process control solutions and Logica Finland the production management system for the minipilot plant.
Mr Ilkka Hynynen project manager of the minipilot concentrator at the University of Oulu said that "It is very exciting to have a minipilot concentrator with top-notch technologies as a learning environment at the University of Oulu. It will strengthen our mining expertise and increase cooperation opportunities with other mining schools. We have already received inquiries from as far as China."
Kari Knuutila CTO of Outotec said that "We value high the cooperation with universities and research centers in terms of both technology development and education of future talent. With this minipilot in Oulu we promote the education of minerals processing science and develop the expertise in Finland and globally. In addition, we support the sustainable development of the mining industry."
