The planned expansion will enable NORCAT to respond to the forecasted demand of the global innovation ecosystem and demonstrate its commitment to continuing its position as a ‘one-stop shop' in the future of mining technology and innovation.

NORCAT is the only innovation centre in the world that owns and operates an underground mine designed to enable start-ups, small/medium enterprises and international companies to develop, test, and demonstrate innovative technologies in an operating mine environment. With this facility, NORCAT has become a global destination for mining companies to ‘see and touch' emerging technologies that are poised to transform the industry.

Don Duval, CEO of NORCAT, said: "Over the last three years, we have seen significant growth in NORCAT's portfolio of mining technology companies using our state-of-the-art operating mine as an ‘active laboratory', creating an ecosystem like no other in the world. By expanding the NORCAT Underground Centre, we continue our proud role anchoring one of the world's leading mining technology and innovation clusters, while concurrently supporting the commercialisation and adoption of leading-edge technologies that will make the global mining industry safer, more efficient, and more productive."

To coincide with investments into the NORCAT Underground Centre, NORCAT has also developed an array of training, technology and service offerings to meet the growing and diverse skilled labour training and development needs of global mining and mining technology companies focused on competitiveness, shareholder and stakeholder value, productivity and health and safety.

Jason Bubba, director of training and development at NORCAT, commented: "The global mining industry has continued to build momentum and prepare for a remarkable transformation, and the continued investment in and deployment of new technologies are redefining what it means to have a career in mining. By continuing to develop state of the art technologies for a ‘new world of training' for a ‘new world of work', NORCAT remains at the forefront of innovation as a market leader in skilled labour training and development for the global mining industry."

NORCAT is debuting new learning technologies this week at the NORCAT experiential booth in the Northern Ontario Pavilion at PDAC 2019 in Toronto. The live demonstration will include the latest in mine skills training including AR, VR, interactive multiplayer avatar-based training, incident re-creation and digital safety systems.