The primary objective of the partnership is to establish and build a long-term relationship and work together on a variety of initiatives related to developing and delivering mine worker education and training programmes, enhancing innovation and technology adoption, and improving the commercialisation of academic applied research serving the mining industry.

NORCAT CEO Don Duval said: "We are very excited to collaborate with CNP as it allows both organisations to engage a broader network of mining companies, mine workers, tech ventures, capital markets and academic research to creatively address both the opportunities and challenges facing the global mining industry.

"Ultimately, this partnership demonstrates the importance and value of collaborating across borders to make a meaningful and sustainable impact in the mining industry."

In the near-term, CNP and NORCAT will work together to offer mine worker training and development programmes to Chilean mining companies and contractors, and to develop an operating model to enable mining tech companies to develop, test and demonstrate emerging technologies both in Chile and at NORCAT's Underground Centre in Sudbury, Canada.

NORCAT also recently announced the opening of a new office in Chile, which is co-located in Santiago with CNP.

According to NORCAT, the office will enable it to more effectively serve its growing base of clients and partners in Latin America. This will be the fifth office in its global network.