Sirius Minerals Awarded NTBC Grant 2024, Strengthening National Endorsement for Digital Mining Innovation

Sirius Minerals has been announced as a winner in the 2024 cohort of the National Technology Business Centre (NTBC) innovation support programme under the Ministry of Technology and Science of the Republic of Zambia.

The National Technology Business Centre (NTBC) is a government-led institution mandated to support the development, incubation, and commercialization of science, technology, and innovation-driven enterprises in Zambia. It plays a key role in identifying high-potential startups and technologies that align with national development priorities, particularly in areas such as industrialisation, digital transformation, and economic diversification.

Being selected as an NTBC grant recipient represents a significant milestone for Sirius Minerals, as it reflects formal state-level confidence in the Sirius Mineral Trade Platform (Sirius-MTP™️) alpha prototype. The recognition signals that the platform is aligned with Zambia’s broader agenda of strengthening transparency, improving resource governance, and leveraging technology to formalize and modernize the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.

The NTBC support will be directed toward advancing Sirius-MTP™️ from its current prototype stage into a fully operational Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This next phase of development will focus on building a functional, field-ready system capable of supporting real-time mineral traceability, cooperative onboarding, buyer integration, and compliance tracking.

In addition to digital platform development, the funding will also support the establishment of foundational physical infrastructure required for system deployment. This includes the setup of a basic mineral testing laboratory, as well as mobile sampling booths designed to allow miners and cooperatives to conveniently submit mineral samples for verification, testing, and certification. These physical touchpoints are intended to bridge the gap between informal mining activity and structured, verifiable trade systems.

At the core of the Sirius ecosystem is an integrated model that combines physical and digital infrastructure. Miners and cooperatives are onboarded into a verified system, where mineral production is recorded and sampled through local collection points. These samples are then tested and certified through the lab infrastructure, while the digital platform connects verified supply directly to traders, buyers, and investors. The result is a streamlined, transparent, and traceable mineral value chain that reduces inefficiencies and builds trust across all stakeholders.

Sirius Minerals noted that this award represents more than financial support - it reflects a strong vote of confidence from the Government of Zambia in the long-term vision of Sirius-MTP™️ as a national digital infrastructure layer for the mining sector.

As the company moves toward MVP development and pilot-scale deployment, the NTBC recognition serves as a foundational endorsement that strengthens Sirius Minerals’ positioning within Zambia’s innovation ecosystem and the broader African mining technology landscape.