In line with its vision for a water-secure world by 2030, diversified miner BHP, in alliance with public-private partnership company Fundación Chile's open-innovation initiative Expande, launched the Global Water Challenge in an effort to identify and de-risk water treatment solutions.

Expande applies a collaborative model to improve the industry’s productivity by fostering the development of a knowledge-intensive and world-class innovation ecosystem.

The Global Water Challenge sought to find and de-risk disruptive water treatment solutions to sustainably enhance water recovery within the mining industry.

The open call was intended for companies, startups, institutes, research centers or other entities that have, or are developing, disruptive water treatment solutions with a focus on multiple challenges that are facing BHP assets. These challenges include reducing brine discharge from the reverse osmosis plant, treatment of acidic pit lake waters, treatment of hypersaline groundwater, and other water issues.

BHP sustainability innovation head Ingrid Oyarzún notes that water is an integral and vital resource for BHP’s production and operations, with a responsibility to effectively manage the group’s water interactions and avoid or reduce its potential or actual adverse impacts on water resources.

She states that facing this challenge and making BHP’s vision for a water-secure world by 2030 a reality, requires collaboration with others and with companies that are addressing global challenges through innovation and disruptive technologies.

Fundación Chile mining innovation director Philip Wood adds that Fundación Chile is committed to supporting Chile with its water transition, through collaborative efforts and a multisectorial dialogue.

“The Global Water Challenge is a clear example of this, and we are very pleased to have collaborated once again with BHP to identify and address the sustainability challenges that it is facing in its assets globally, as well as help achieve its climate change targets and goals,” he says.

The Global Water Challenge finalists had the opportunity to present their solutions at a demonstration day, where the winners were able to work together on the next steps.