Mining research consulting
XPS Industry Relevant Solutions, a Glencore Company, located at the XPS Technology Centre in Falconbridge, Ontario, is a team of metallurgists, engineers, geoscientists, technicians and technologists with real world experience in characterization, process development/optimization, asset integrity management and mine/process automation.
"The XPS workforce adapts to the needs of clients. Our services include strategic project support, enabling technology development, continuous improvements and emergency client assistance during times of trouble such as plant stoppage, loss in recoveries, or an environment, health, and safety (EHS) incident."
Jan T. Smit - Vice President, XPS
Technologies and services
XPS employs industry best practices and advanced modelling and testing methodologies which can deliver practical and successful results for their clients and partners.
Mineralogy and Geometallurgy
Mineralogy and Geometallurgy: Specializing in solutions for ore characterization, process design, diagnostic mineralogy or process optimization.
Mineral Processing
Mineral Processing: Services in concentrator flowsheet development, laboratory testwork, pilot plant demonstration, and operational plant support.
Pyrometallurgy
Pyrometallurgy: Addresses metallurgical needs through on-site plant support, and pyrometallurgical testwork on both a laboratory and pilot plant scale.
Hydrometallurgy
Hydrometallurgy: Technical support for leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction, ion exchange, electrowinning and electrorefining, solid/liquid separation, etc.
Process Control
Process Control: Services in process design, instrumentation, control systems, automation, regulatory and advanced process control, alarm management, functional safety, cyber security, data analytics, and machine learning.
Process Simulation and Modelling
Simulation and Modelling: Advanced computer simulation techniques to aid in the development, optimization, and troubleshooting of metallurgical plants.
Materials Technology
Materials Technology: Dedicated to enhancing the reliability of critical equipment during key phases of design, procurement, and operation.
History
The origin of the group dates to the 1940s, starting in Sudbury, Ontario as the Falconbridge Technology Centre (FTC), an internal department of Falconbridge Ltd. that supported the nickel mining operation.
The centre developed over the decades into a full-fledged metallurgical testing operation. Following the merger of Falconbridge and Noranda in 2005 the Falconbridge Technology Centre combined the expertise of its sister organization, the Noranda Research Centre, adding further expertise and capability in process support and development.
The 2006 acquisition of Falconbridge by the Swiss mining company Xstrata resulted in a new mandate for Falconbridge Technology Centre. The group was re-organized as XPS, a stand-alone commercial enterprise offering expertise to both internal and external corporate clients. This mandate was confirmed and continued upon the 2013 merger of Xstrata with Glencore plc.