What is the Mining Water Technology Pilot Program?
The Mining Water Technology Pilot Program represents a groundbreaking partnership between Nomadic Venture Partners, an investment firm focused on sustainable industrial technologies, and Current, a nonprofit water innovation hub. Launched in 2025, this initiative aims to accelerate the deployment of innovative water technologies in the mining sector, particularly those that reduce water consumption while enhancing critical minerals extraction efficiency.
The program addresses the dual challenges of water conservation and critical minerals supply security through technological innovation. By bringing together startups, investors, and industry partners, the initiative creates a pathway for promising water technologies to reach commercial implementation in mining operations.
The Collaborative Initiative Between Current and Nomadic Venture Partners
This collaborative effort leverages Current's expertise in water innovation and Nomadic Venture Partners' focus on sustainable industrial technologies. The partnership structure—combining a nonprofit organization with an investment firm—creates a unique approach to solving industry challenges.
As Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and the NSF-funded Great Lakes ReNEW Engine explains, the program aligns with broader national goals: "Critical minerals are essential to our daily lives… This will make our nation less dependent on foreign sources and our supply chains more resilient to shocks, from pandemics to wars."
Program Objectives and Strategic Importance
The program's primary objectives include:
- Accelerating water-efficient technologies for mineral extraction
- Reducing environmental impacts of mining operations
- Strengthening domestic critical minerals supply chains
- Creating commercial pathways for innovative startups
- Establishing industry partnerships for technology adoption
This inaugural program specifically targets technologies that can make significant impacts in water conservation while addressing the growing demand for domestic critical minerals production. By supporting startups with transformative technologies, the program seeks to make mining operations more sustainable while strengthening supply chain resilience against global disruptions.
Why is Water Technology Critical for the Mining Industry?
Mining operations traditionally consume vast quantities of water across their operational lifecycle. From ore processing to dust suppression and waste management solutions, water remains an essential resource for mineral extraction. This dependency creates both operational vulnerabilities and environmental challenges that innovative technologies can help address.
The Water-Minerals Extraction Challenge
The mining industry faces increasing pressure to reduce water consumption while maintaining or improving production efficiency. These challenges include:
- Water scarcity in key mining regions
- Stringent regulatory requirements for water usage and discharge
- Rising costs of water procurement and treatment
- Community concerns about water resource competition
- Environmental impacts of mining wastewater
Water-intensive processes like leaching, flotation, and tailings management represent significant opportunities for technological innovation. By implementing more efficient water technologies, mining companies can reduce operational costs while minimizing environmental impacts.
Critical Minerals Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Recent global events including trade disputes and geopolitical instability have highlighted vulnerabilities in critical minerals supply chains. The United States and other nations have recognized the strategic importance of developing domestic sources for these essential materials.
As Alaina Harkness noted, "Critical minerals are essential to our daily lives… This will make our nation less dependent on foreign sources and our supply chains more resilient to shocks, from pandemics to wars."
Water technology plays a crucial role in this effort by:
- Enabling more efficient extraction from lower-grade domestic deposits
- Reducing operational costs to improve competitiveness
- Minimizing environmental impacts to facilitate regulatory approval
- Creating sustainable operations that can operate long-term
- Transforming waste streams into valuable secondary mineral sources
Batchimeg Ganbaatar, co-founder of Nomadic Venture Partners, emphasizes this priority: "We want the mining of critical minerals to use less water, period." This focus addresses both environmental concerns and operational efficiencies simultaneously.
Who Are the Innovative Startups Selected for the Program?
The inaugural Mining Water Technology Pilot Program selected three promising startups from a competitive field of more than 40 applicants. Each company brings innovative solutions to different aspects of the water-minerals challenge.
Tikal Industries: Transforming Mining Waste into Sustainable Cement
Tikal Industries has developed BlueCem, an innovative hydraulic cement created from industrial waste, including byproducts from water treatment operations at mines. This Chicago and Lafayette-based company offers their product at $120 per ton—more economical than traditional Portland cement.
Founded by Christian Guerrero and Tayyaba Ali, Tikal exemplifies the circular economy approach by:
- Converting mining waste streams into valuable construction materials
- Reducing the need for waste disposal and associated costs
- Creating an additional revenue stream for mining operations
- Providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional cement production
- Addressing multiple environmental challenges simultaneously
Their technology demonstrates how innovations in the mining sector can have broader impacts across other industries, particularly construction.
Maverick Metals: Revolutionizing Copper Extraction Efficiency
San Antonio-based Maverick Metals has created a water-efficient, environmentally friendly copper extraction process that transforms a significant operational challenge into a streamlined, sustainable solution. The company recently secured $19 million in funding to advance global copper and critical minerals supply chains.
Founded by Eric Herrera and Jesse Evans, Maverick Metals addresses one of mining's most water-intensive processes. Their technology offers:
- Significantly reduced water requirements for copper extraction
- Minimized environmental impacts and chemical usage
- Enhanced recovery rates for copper and associated minerals
- Potential application to other critical mineral extraction processes
- Scalable implementation at both existing and new mining operations
With copper being essential for renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles, Maverick's innovation addresses a critical link in the sustainable mining transformation.
Stealth-Mode Startup: Recovering Metals from Mining Wastewater
The third selected company, currently operating in stealth mode, specializes in extracting valuable metals from wastewater at both operational and closed mines. This technology represents a dual opportunity: remediating potential environmental hazards while simultaneously generating new domestic sources of critical minerals from what was previously considered waste.
This stealth-mode company exemplifies how innovative approaches can:
- Transform environmental liabilities into economic opportunities
- Extract valuable resources from existing waste streams
- Provide remediation solutions for both active and legacy mining sites
- Create new domestic sources of critical minerals
- Reduce the need for new mining operations by recovering metals from waste
While specific details remain confidential during their stealth phase, this company's approach aligns perfectly with the program's dual focus on water technology and critical minerals recovery.
How Does the Selection Process Work?
The three startups were chosen from more than 40 applicants through a rigorous selection process designed to identify the most promising technologies for mining water management and critical minerals recovery.
Competitive Application and Evaluation
The program evaluated companies based on their technological innovation, potential impact on water conservation, ability to enhance critical minerals recovery, and readiness for pilot implementation at mining operations. This multi-faceted approach ensured that selected companies offered both technological excellence and practical implementation potential.
The competitive nature of the selection process—with just 7.5% of applicants making the final cohort—demonstrates the program's high standards and the growing interest in mining water technology solutions. This rigorous evaluation helps identify technologies with the greatest potential for industry-wide impact.
Industry Adoption Challenges and Solutions
Batchimeg Ganbaatar highlighted a key challenge these startups face: "It's a challenge to find eager early-adopters in this industry." This observation reflects the mining industry's traditionally conservative approach to adopting new technologies, particularly in critical operational areas like water management.
The program specifically addresses this barrier by:
- Connecting innovative startups with established mining companies
- Providing technical support for pilot implementation
- Offering mentorship from industry veterans
- Creating a structured pathway to commercial adoption
- Reducing risks associated with new technology deployment
By focusing on this adoption gap, the Mining Water Technology Pilot Program overcomes one of the most significant barriers to innovation in the mining industry—the hesitancy to implement unproven technologies in production environments.
What Support Do Selected Companies Receive?
Selected startups receive a comprehensive support package designed to accelerate their path to commercial deployment in the mining industry. This multi-faceted approach addresses both technical and business challenges.
Comprehensive Program Benefits
The program provides selected companies with:
- Expert mentorship from industry veterans
- Direct connections to mining company partners
- Technical support for pilot project implementation
- Potential funding opportunities
- Industry visibility and networking
This holistic support structure helps startups navigate the complex mining industry landscape while accelerating their technology development and deployment timelines. By addressing both technical and commercial challenges, the program increases the likelihood of successful market adoption.
Strategic Partnerships and Funding Sources
The Mining Water Technology Pilot Program receives partial funding from the US Economic Development Administration's Build to Scale Program (ALN 11.024). This federal support underscores the national importance of developing sustainable mining technologies for critical minerals extraction.
The program also aligns with the National Science Foundation Great Lakes ReNEW Engine initiative, which focuses on the Recovery of critical Elements, Nutrients, Energy, and Water (ReNEW). This alignment with broader national innovation priorities creates additional opportunities for participating startups to access resources, expertise, and funding.
These strategic partnerships demonstrate how public-private collaboration can accelerate innovation in sectors critical to economic and national security. By leveraging resources from multiple stakeholders, the program creates a more robust support ecosystem for participating startups.
How Will These Technologies Impact the Mining Industry?
The technologies being developed by the selected startups promise to transform multiple aspects of mining operations, from water usage to waste management and mineral recovery. These innovations address both immediate operational needs and broader industry challenges.
Environmental and Operational Benefits
The technologies being developed by these startups promise significant environmental and operational benefits:
- Reduced freshwater consumption in mining operations
- Decreased wastewater production and associated treatment costs
- Lower environmental footprint and improved regulatory compliance
- New revenue streams from waste materials and process byproducts
- Enhanced recovery of critical minerals from existing operations
These benefits directly address some of the mining industry's most pressing challenges while creating operational efficiencies that can improve profitability. By aligning environmental improvements with economic benefits, these technologies offer compelling value propositions for mining companies.
Economic and National Security Implications
Beyond environmental benefits, these innovations have broader economic and national security implications:
- Strengthened domestic critical minerals supply chains
- Reduced dependence on foreign sources for essential materials
- Improved resilience against global supply chain disruptions
- Creation of new jobs in the clean technology and mining sectors
- Potential for technology export to global mining operations
As Alaina Harkness noted, these technologies contribute to making "our nation less dependent on foreign sources and our supply chains more resilient to shocks, from pandemics to wars." This alignment with national priorities creates additional momentum for adoption and investment in these innovative approaches.
The integration of these technologies into mining operations represents a significant step toward a more sustainable and secure critical minerals supply chain—essential for both environmental goals and economic security.
What's Next for Mining Water Technology?
The inaugural Mining Water Technology Pilot Program represents just the beginning of a broader effort to transform water usage in the mining industry. The program's initial success sets the stage for expansion and broader impact.
Future Program Expansion
Following this inaugural cohort, the Mining Water Technology Pilot Program is expected to expand its reach and impact. Future iterations may include more startups, additional mining company partners, and a broader range of technologies addressing various aspects of water use in mining.
Potential expansion directions include:
- Geographical expansion to include international startups and mining operations
- Technology diversification to address additional aspects of mining water management
- Deeper industry partnerships with major mining companies
- Integration with other sustainability initiatives in the mining sector
- Development of industry standards and best practices based on program outcomes
This expansion would build on the program's initial success while addressing a broader range of mining water challenges and opportunities.
Emerging Technology Trends
The program highlights several emerging technology trends in mining industry innovation trends:
- Circular economy approaches that transform waste into valuable products
- Advanced extraction methods that minimize water requirements
- Recovery technologies that extract critical minerals from waste streams
- Digital solutions for optimizing water use across mining operations
- Integrated approaches that address multiple sustainability challenges simultaneously
These trends point toward a future where mining operations dramatically reduce their water footprint while extracting more value from existing resources. The convergence of these technologies creates opportunities for systemic transformation in how the mining industry manages water resources.
As Batchimeg Ganbaatar emphasized, the ultimate goal is for "mining of critical minerals to use less water, period." The Mining Water Technology Pilot Program represents a significant step toward this vision of a more sustainable mining industry.
FAQ: Mining Water Technology Pilot Program
What types of technologies does the program focus on?
The program prioritizes technologies that reduce water consumption in mining operations while enhancing critical minerals recovery. This includes innovative extraction methods, waste transformation processes, water recycling systems, and mineral recovery from waste streams.
Current cohort technologies include Tikal Industries' conversion of mining waste into cement, Maverick Metals' water-efficient copper extraction process, and a stealth-mode company's technology for recovering metals from mining wastewater.
How are participating companies selected?
Companies are selected through a competitive application process evaluating their technological innovation, potential impact, team capabilities, and readiness for pilot implementation. The inaugural program received over 40 applications before selecting the final three participants.
Selection criteria include:
- Potential for significant water reduction in mining operations
- Capability to enhance critical minerals recovery
- Technical readiness for pilot deployment
- Team expertise and execution capability
- Commercial potential and scalability
What critical minerals are targeted by these technologies?
While the program focuses broadly on critical minerals, the current cohort specifically addresses copper extraction (Maverick Metals) and metal recovery from mining wastewater (the stealth-mode company). These technologies could potentially be applied to other critical minerals in the future.
Critical minerals of interest include those essential for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, electronics, and defense applications—many of which face supply chain vulnerabilities due to limited domestic production.
How does the program measure success?
Success metrics include reduced water consumption in mining operations, increased critical minerals recovery, successful pilot implementations, follow-on funding secured by participating startups, and commercial adoption of the technologies by mining companies.
The program also evaluates broader impacts such as:
- Environmental benefits from reduced water usage and waste
- Economic development through new business growth
- Supply chain resilience improvements
- Knowledge transfer to the broader mining industry
- Creation of industry standards and best practices
What role do mining companies play in the program?
Mining companies serve as implementation partners, providing real-world environments for testing and refining the startups' technologies. This industry participation is crucial for validating technologies and accelerating their path to commercial adoption.
As Batchimeg Ganbaatar noted, finding "eager early-adopters in this industry" can be challenging. The program specifically addresses this barrier by creating structured partnerships between innovative startups and established mining operations.
Is the program limited to US-based companies?
While the inaugural cohort includes US-based companies (from Chicago, Lafayette, and San Antonio), the program's focus on strengthening domestic critical minerals supply chains suggests a prioritization of technologies that can be implemented in US mining operations.
The program's funding from the US Economic Development Administration's Build to Scale Program further emphasizes its alignment with national economic development priorities.
How can companies apply for future cohorts?
Information about applications for future cohorts will be announced through Current and Nomadic Venture Partners. Interested companies should monitor these organizations' websites and industry publications like Global Mining Review for announcements.
Furthermore, companies involved in mine reclamation innovation may find this program particularly valuable, as water management solutions often overlap with site remediation technologies.
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