ERG hosts first-ever innovation hackathon in the aluminium industry to support collaboration between academia and industry

Eurasian Resources Group (“ERG” or “the Group”), a leading diversified natural resources group headquartered in Luxembourg, has organized a research and innovation hackathon for aluminium industry professionals. ERG is the only Kazakhstan producer of aluminium which is certified by the London Metal Exchange (an LME-deliverable brand KAS) and is supplied to more than 20 countries worldwide.

The hackathon was arranged in the Kazakhstan city of Pavlodar and was attended by more than 50 leaders of the scientific community. Leading academics from research institutes and major universities met to address key challenges related to scientific and technological development and innovation in the metals industry. The hackathon was also attended by representatives of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the business community, and manufacturing companies.

As the first event of its kind to be held in Kazakhstan, the hackathon has helped to bring the commercial and the scientific communities together. As a result, the hackathon participants presented 19 prototypes of technical solutions addressing the tasks that had been set. Among the topics discussed by the researchers and engineers were the methods to develop the deep Koktal bauxite deposits with their unique properties and the challenge presented by high humidity of aluminium ore.

The attendees considered the development of innovative technologies for processing high-silica bauxites, the need to improve the quality of the metal used in aircraft production, and efficient methods for extracting gallium from alkaline aluminate solutions and scandium from the products of the Pavlodar Alumina Plant.

“Doubling the country’s GDP by 2030 was outlined as priority by the President of Kazakhstan. ERG, the aluminium industry and the broader mining and metals sector play a crucial role in the country’s economy. Accordingly, further development of our operations will contribute to the achievement of this goal,” said Jochen Berbner, deputy general director for technology and operations at ERG Kazakhstan: “This year marks the 60th anniversary of the launch of our Pavlodar Alumina Plant, which is one of the few enterprises to have maintained the practice of applied science over the years. This hackathon, which we have organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, will help to provide a roadmap for scientific and technological development of the industry. I am confident it will empower the metals and mining sector to produce solutions based on the innovative ideas of Kazakhstani scientists.”

Darkhan Ahmed-Zaki, Vice Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: “Today, we need not only develop basic research, but also actively introduce scientific developments in production. The hackathon has offered our researchers and industrialists a great opportunity to join forces to address specific technological challenges. Such innovative formats are the basis for the successful commercialisation of science and technological progress in the country.”

The hackathon has inspired Vladimir Krasnoyarski, Director General of the ERG Aluminium Division, to new achievements: “The results are very encouraging! We expect to conduct tests to validate some of the initiatives by the end of the year or early next year.”

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