BHP’s dedicated innovation arm, BHP Invent, has significantly bolstered its presence within China’s burgeoning technology sector, signing two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the nation’s leading research and engineering organisations, China ENFI and BGRIMM Technology Group.
The agreements support deeper cross-border collaboration. The partnerships will focus on critical technical frontiers, including mineral processing, leaching, the treatment of complex ores, and the unique operational challenges posed by high-altitude environments.
The BHP Invent team engaged with a diverse array of Chinese organisations specialising in frontier capabilities.
Discussions spanned the breadth of the mining value chain, from robotics and industrial automation to cloud computing, AI, and tailings management.
Jessica Farrell, BHP’s Vice President of Innovation, emphasised that these alliances are fundamental to bridging the gap between conceptual breakthroughs and operational reality.
“Partnerships like this are how we turn big ideas into real impact, connecting global innovation with the challenges we’re solving every day across our operations,” Farrell said.
“Together, we can accelerate safer, more productive, and sustainable outcomes.”
The collaboration is viewed by Chinese partners as a major step forward for the global industry.
Cheng Liu, Chairman of ENFI, described the MOU as a strategic upgrade of their existing relationship, noting that ENFI’s expertise in process control and research would help accelerate technological progress.
Similarly, Yahui Li, General Manager of BGRIMM International Technology, highlighted the shared goal of delivering sustainable solutions.
“We aspire to leverage our strengths in new technology development to promote shared success for the global mining industry,” Li said.
BHP Invent continues to position itself as a global conduit for mining technology.
Through its Open House platform, the group maintains a year-round invitation for innovators to pitch ideas related to ore body knowledge and processing.
By fostering these international ties, BHP aims to translate academic and engineering prowess into tangible, commercial-scale results that address the industry’s most pressing environmental and productivity hurdles.