AMIRA International Ltd is a not-for-profit independent association of minerals companies which develops, brokers and facilitates collaborative research projects.
Through this process a number of companies can jointly fund research and jointly share the benefits. This combined funding enables AMIRA to recruit the world's leading
researchers to address industry problems and opportunities and to conduct sustained research which leads to the development of a stronger industry research base and
associated infrastructure.
AMIRA was founded by senior executives of the major mining companies in Melbourne in 1959. Over 700 major collaborative research projects have since been conducted on
important topics across the whole mining value chain (exploration, mining, mineral processing and environment). In many instances, government funds are also sought to
augment industry funding of these projects. Financial leverage through sharing the funding as well as the outcomes in tackling such projects is an important benefit to
sponsors. Over 400 postgraduates have been trained within projects from 1990-2004, many of whom then joined industry.
Membership is available for mining and exploration companies in various categories according to the size of the company (only members can sponsor specific projects), and
members have the right to access results from former projects (once the period of confidentiality is over).
Current collaborative research projects funded by the minerals industry through AMIRA are listed here.
More details can be found at the AMIRA website.
