August 23, 2007
University of British Columbia Prof Invents a Cleaner, Greener and More Profitable Process for Refining Copper
UBC researcher David Dixon has invented an environmentally friendly and cheaper way to produce high quality copper from low-grade concentrates, thus expanding potential copper reserves. UBC has granted Bateman Engineering exclusive rights to market the new technology in 20 copper-producing countries. A number of international mining companies have requested detailed feasibility studies in anticipation of building full-scale Galvanox plants, and licensing negotiations are underway. Dixon's co-inventor is UBC PhD recipient Alain Tshilombo. Their patented Galvanox copper-leaching process offers alternatives to the traditional method of smelting and other hydrometallurgical technologies. Dixon and Tshilombo found that pyrite, when used as a galvanic catalyst, is able to break down the mineral chalcopyrite - the major source of copper. Pyrite facilitates the selective oxidation of chalcopyrite rapidly and completely at temperatures below the boiling point of water. "This approach differs from other hydrometallurgical processes, all of which rely on some combination of high temperature, very fine or ultrafine grinding, and corrosive chemicals such as chloride to get the job done," says Dixon, an associate professor at the Dept. of Materials Engineering. Galvanox will enable copper producers to significantly reduce sulfur dioxide gas emissions, eliminate the cost of transportation to the smelter and treat certain copper ores that smelters cannot. "Producers can expect virtually complete copper recovery - 98 per cent or more - despite the mild process conditions," says Dixon. Dixon adds, "As well, Galvanox can treat concentrates that are too low in copper content or too high in penalty elements such as arsenic to be considered suitable for smelting." Recent studies conducted by Bateman show that Galvanox users can expect about a 23 per cent rate of return on investment compared to the traditional smelting option. With its ability to treat low-grade concentrates, Galvanox typically gives a 5-10 per cent advantage in overall copper recovery, which translates to significant extra revenue. The studies also show that the Galvanox process generates the lowest capital and operating costs of any hydrometallurgical process by a significant margin, being the only one that exceeds a 15 per cent rate of return on investment over smelting. Dixon will be presenting a paper on his research breakthrough at the 6th Copper 2007 International Conference held in Toronto August 26-29. Last hosted by Canada in 1991, the conference is co-organized by six leading international professional societies in Chile, Germany, Japan, the United States and Canada. Held every four years, the event convenes global leaders in copper business, operations, technology and research.
Source: The University of British Columbia
August 14, 2007
University of Ottawa: MBA Live-case Competition at Tundra Semiconductor
On Monday, July 30, Tundra Semiconductor hosted the School's fourth MBA Live-case Competition. At this event, students put into practice their classroom learning and personal experience to give fresh insight into a major strategic challenge that Tundra is currently facing: what role might Tundra play in the transition to wireless communication. Three MBA teams were selected from an initial fifteen teams to go head-to-head with each other in presenting on this challenge to a panel drawn from Tundra's top management, including CEO, Daniel Hoste, Vice-president Marketing, Tracy Richardson, and Vice-president Engineering, Benny Chang. Congratulations to Vivienne Macy, Ruchi Shah, Fanny Dolo-Kersale, and Stephan Clark (full-time English MBA), selected by Tundra as the winning team.
Source: University of Ottawa
August 8, 2007
University of Regina: Canada's new government supports ARTSask.ca
On behalf of the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, Tom Lukiwski, Member of Parliament (Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre), today presented a cheque for $498,900 to the University of Regina for its ARTSask.ca project. The funding will more than double the amount of material now available on the recently-launched educational website, and will allow developers to present the new teaching and learning activities in Cree, as well as French and English. "I would like to congratulate the University of Regina and its partners on the recent launch of ARTSask.ca," said Minister Oda. "Our contribution to this project will support the digitization of Saskatchewan and Canadian visual art from the collections of the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina and the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon. This project is not only a wonderful educational resource for students and teachers, but an example of how government, educators, and the arts community can work together to bring Saskatchewan's rich visual arts heritage to a wider audience."
"Canada's New Government is firmly committed to supporting the advancement of arts and culture," said Mr. Lukiwski. "New media initiatives like ARTSask showcase our country's innovative spirit and culture to the world and promote the development of new audiences with an appreciation for Canadian art." ARTSask - a collaboration led by the U of R working with the province's two major public art galleries and SaskLearning - showcases Saskatchewan and Canadian visual art and artists chosen from the existing collections of the galleries. The website presents theme-based, content-related, and interactive online activities and materials that match the needs of Saskatchewan's online K-12 visual arts curriculum. The site is designed to engage middle-years students in elementary schools, as well as secondary and post-secondary students. Presenting the content in Cree also supports programs that teach Cree as a second language in schools in Saskatchewan and the Prairies. "This funding will allow ARTSask to continue developing as a valuable arts education resource, and will broaden access to the rich artistic resources our province has to offer. At the same time, it will also provide a key teaching aid in the Cree language, helping maintain and build interest in one of Saskatchewan's important indigenous languages," said Jim Tomkins, U of R President. The Cree language has the largest speaker population of all of Canada's First Nations languages, with an estimated 75,000 speakers. Approximately 20,000 of these speakers live in Saskatchewan, where Cree ranks second only to English as the most commonly spoken language in the home. Cree bands comprise more than half of the province's 74 First Nations. The themes presented on the ARTSask website feature a variety of art-making processes, time periods in art, artists' perspectives, and artists' responses to place, time and experience. The first phase of the website was launched in June with 10 theme areas developed in French and English, including one pilot theme in Cree which is in its final stages of development. The new funding will see 16 new themes added, and ARTSask expanded to include Cree-language translation of the general information about gallery images, site navigation, and learning and teaching materials in these new themes. The project envisions the translation of content into numerous heritage languages in the future. Canada's New Government provided ARTSask with $297,563 in 2006-2007. The funding announced today supports the completion of the second phase of the project. Both installments have been provided through the Partnerships Fund component of the Canadian Culture Online Strategy of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program, which is committed to fostering a uniquely Canadian presence on the Internet, works with creators, cultural industries, communities, and institutions to produce Canadian cultural content and make it available on the Internet in order to promote our country's rich culture, history, arts, and heritage.
Source: University of Regina
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Source: University of Regina, Saskatchewan
August 7, 2007
Memorial University of Newfoundland: Speaking of engineering…
Have you ever wondered about sustainable development overseas? At first glance, the role of western engineers in development may appear to be the identification of solutions, followed by a trip overseas to implement them. Often this takes the form of drilling a well, building a school, or installing a new technology developed in western labs. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) believes that sustainable development requires more than the simple installation of technologies. To have the greatest impact overseas, EWB focus on building capacity rather than the delivery of technological goods. EWB volunteers work in partnership with local organizations already helping communities gain access to appropriate technologies. By strengthening the extent and effectiveness of the organization's response, EWB is helping them become better at helping communities. Ed Martin, born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, was selected as an EWB long-term overseas volunteer in 2006. He has spent the last year working with organizations in Zambia's agriculture and appropriate technology sectors to help promote the country's development. As a member of EWB's overseas staff, his focus was to build the capacity of the organizations with whom he worked to help them serve Zambia's population more efficiently and effectively. Ed received his B.Eng. in mechanical engineering from Memorial University prior to leaving for Zambia. He is also the founder and former president of the Memorial University chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Join Mr. Martin as he discusses his capacity building role with two Zambian organizations, EWB's model for overseas impact and the challenges and learning experiences involved in integrating into and working within a developing country. The event, hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University and the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador, will be held on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, at 7:30 p.m., in the S. J. Carew Building lecture theatre, room EN-2006, on Memorial's St. John's campus. Admission is free. Parking is available in Lot 16. All are welcome. Reception will follow.
Source: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland & Labrador
