The world is more connected than ever, and mining technology and service companies are no exception. As they expand their reach globally, they need to follow their clients to new markets, from a copper mine high in the Andes to the icey cold winters of Northern Canada. When exploring new markets, it’s the classic “chicken or egg” dilemma: You want to see success before committing to the expenses of a local operation, but as soon as you start generating revenue, the risk of being classified as a PE increases.
After a long sales cycle, the immediate focus for many mining technology and service providers is simply securing or being awarded the work but intellectual property is business-critical and should be treated as such. Mining Suppliers need to ensure they have well drafted clauses that protect their intellectual property while also often giving them the ability to use the data collected to improve their solutions.
Teck’s copper project pipeline keeps advancing. The USD$1.2B Zafranal copper project in Peru recently received environmental approvals paving the way for final engineering and construction approval. Check out our project spotlight for an overview.
Mining technology companies looking at Latin America need to decide on the best way to service the region. One of the first decisions that companies need to make once they confirm a market has potential is whether they will work through partners or sell direct to the mines.
Copper is getting more difficult to find and process at a time when the world is facing a copper crunch with demand expected to outstrip supply in the near future. New technology developments for the copper industry could help the world meet demand while lowering energy and reducing water usage. Check out our article that covers some of these technologies and how they are being deployed in Latin America.
Industrial technology companies rely on international markets since they often need to follow their clients to where the projects exist in the world. Working in foreign jurisdictions brings some unique challenges and risks. Permanent Establishment is one of them.
Anglo Americans’s Innovation and Technology Manager, Rodrigo Subiabre, presented some details on the company’s technology push at the Copper 2022 conference held last week in Santiago. For mining technology and service companies, updates such as these give insight into where the industry is going.
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