Projects - Introduction

Benefits of Research Partnership

MIRO manages a wide range of projects at any one time that deal with issues relating to the mineral and extractive industries. Successful projects lead to advances throughout the industry in the fields of technology, safety and environment:

MIRO does not have research facilities of its own but utilises its skills and flexibility to launch projects over a wide range of subjects with the most appropriate Centres of Expertise, either from within the membership or at external research centres.

MIRO projects can be broadly separated into three categories;

Collaborative Research Projects

These projects focus on solving issues currently affecting the industry through the development of new products, techniques and processes, including but not limited to non-proprietary research where competitive advantage of individual partners is not the key issue. Taking part in a collaborative research project of this type enables companies to share expertise, cost and risk; it is also important where the resources necessary to undertake the research individually are not available in individual organisations.

The advantages of MIRO collaborative projects include:

•  increased gearing of corporate spend
•  increased scale of projects
•  improved utilisation of company resources
•  stimulation of both research and industrial personnel through their interaction
•  speedier and more efficient knowledge transfer
•  more effective establishment of technical priorities
•  industrial sponsors retain control of the project direction

Networks

MIRO networks, like AIMRAP and IMMRAP, allow companies and individuals from the minerals, extractive and other industries to associate on a formal level and discuss the issues affecting operations, thus providing insight and ideas that will drive innovation forward in our industries through collaboration. MIRO networks aim to lead into the preparation of proposals for collaborative research projects.

Strategic Programme Management

MIRO has an established capability for management and implementation of major strategic research programmes. Since 2002 MIRO has been a distributing partner for DEFRA under the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and responsible for the Mineral Industry Sustainable Technology (MIST). During the same period MIRO has managed the Sustainable Land Won and Marine Dredged Minerals programme for CLG. The total value of projects fully or partly funded under these programmes up to March 2008 is £22m.

As a result of the programme management work, MIRO has built up a reputation for its ability to disseminate the results.

	Delivering Sustainable Solutions
| Home | Introduction | Project Updates | MIRO Projects | Project Concepts & Proposals |
	Copyright MIRO Project Concepts & Proposals