The Parker Centre's research is already closely aligned with the needs of the end-users of that research in the minerals industry. However, the Centre desires to go further than merely ensuring its research is relevant; it wants to take a proactive role in improving the transfer of technology that leads ultimately to its implementation by the companies concerned.

The Centre believes that technology transfer requires consideration at all stages of a research project, especially at the initial planning stage and the final reporting stage. It is not just a technical process but a complex social and business process as well.

The Centre's Technology Transfer activity theme is enhancing the Centre’s capability to bridge the gap between the potential value of research outputs and realising that value through outcomes in industry by:

• including the following in the Centre’s technology transfer activities:
  
  • estimating the business benefits of research proposals and outcomes from implemented research findings
  • assessing the operating feasibility, the costs and the work necessary for implementing research outputs
  • assisting researchers to develop a greater appreciation of industry needs and drivers
  • expanding interactions with other service providers who contribute to the successful implementation of new technologies in industry, such as engineering companies and small providers of professional services.
    
    
• researching and applying flowsheeting computer tools (based on existing software packages and novel Parker Centre models) to:
  
  • understand the impact of improvements to one unit operation on upstream and downstream sections of the plant
  • determine the overall operating benefits of changes made to improve a particular unit operation.

• focusing industry clients’ investments on applied research for their businesses
• aligning key elements of the Centre’s culture with that of the minerals industry
• involving industry clients in project formulation
• maintaining close contact with the client during the research
• providing frequent oral and written reports of progress
• arranging secondments of Centre researchers to operating plants and industry staff to the Centre
• going to the client to explain the results of the research and its potential benefits
• finding champions in the client’s organisation who understand the potential value of the R&D and will drive implementation.

• regular review meetings for the multi-sponsored AMIRA projects, attended by sponsors and researchers, to consider research results and their significance
• written project reports
• on-site research and discussions with operating staff
• continuing education courses for industry professionals
• presentation of on-site workshops and seminars
• sharing of knowledge through specialised CD-ROMs and password-protected websites
• spending time on-site at the conclusion of research discussing the significance of the research outcomes and implementation strategies
• secondments to industry and vice versa
• flowsheet development for selected sections of hydrometallurgical plants
• on-site training of client staff for transfer of laboratory methods and analytical techniques
• publication in scientific journals and presentations at conferences.