iX Challenge: Novel processing methods to extract and refine nickel, copper and cobalt products from sulphide mineral concentrates

Aberdeen Minerals wants to find innovators who can develop new technology to extract nickel, copper and cobalt from mineral concentrates in North East Scotland. You need a novel mineral processing technology that can produce these critical raw materials for UK industry. The solution must be more sustainable than shipping products to overseas smelters. The deadline is 29 May 2026.

This challenge is for innovators and technology developers who have or can develop mineral processing technology. You should have expertise in extracting metals from sulphide mineral concentrates. It is specifically for processing materials from North East Scotland.

Aberdeen Minerals would like to find innovators who already have, or have the potential to develop, a novel mineral processing technology to extract and refine nickel, copper and cobalt products from sulphide mineral concentrates derived from North East Scotland. The challenge involves developing and demonstrating a processing solution for the direct production of critical raw materials for UK industry, in a way that is more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable than shipping products to overseas smelters.