Insights
Recognised on global stage for making a postive impact
Investment in Mint Innovation – finalist at COP28 for turning ewaste into gold.
The investment makes so much sense for us because it comes back to the duality of our mission – individual wealth and collective wellbeing.” – John Berry, Pathfinder CEO
Cleantech innovator Mint Innovation is a New Zealand based cleantech company that is becoming renowned as a world leader in "urban mining", where instead of digging in the ground, it mines circuit boards saved from old computers, mobile phones, gaming consoles and washing machines. They reduce e-waste going to landfill (where it leaches into the ground) and save it from being shipped around the world to specialist recyclers.
This month they received international recognition at COP28 coming Runner Up in the Mission Innovation Net-Zero Industries Awards in the Outstanding Projects category which acknowledges projects that revolutionise industries, disrupt the status quo, and set new benchmarks for decarbonisation in energy intensive industries.
Mint Innovation has successfully deployed the world's first commercial scale biorefinery in Sydney which opened earlier in 2023. This low-cost, low-impact facility is set to process 3,000 tonnes of printed circuit board (PCB) waste, returning up to half a tonne of gold and up to 1,000 tonnes of copper to the Australian economy for reuse. They are well-positioned to deploy this advanced technology worldwide, and they are gaining global traction.
Mint Innovation's efforts towards reducing global carbon emissions and safeguarding the future of our planet are commendable. They are pioneering a way towards a more sustainable future, and we commend them for being represented at COP28. They were also chosen as an award winner in multiple categories at the 2023 InnovationAus Awards and were a finalist at the New Zealand International Business Awards.
The Pathfinder investment team believe Mint offers a superior “green” tech solution because it's low carbon, doesn’t use dangerous chemicals and can be located near the source of e-waste which helps promote a local circular economy. This is a big improvement on smelters and refiners. They are growing in a market where metals are critical for electrification and decarbonisation and yet are a non-renewable resource. For instance, it is estimated that approximately 80% of the world’s gold reserves have been mined and that which remains is increasingly costly and complicated to extract.
Learn more about Mint in our 2023 Sustainability Report - page 37.
As Mint Innovation begins to gain momentum globally, it aims to invest further in research and development to optimise its existing technology and expand to service other waste streams, no doubt leading to more successes in the future.
"Being recognised as a finalist for our outstanding project is not just a testament to our team's brilliance, but a commitment to forging a path towards net zero and decarbonisation. I’m very proud of the team to be acknowledged on a global platform like Mission Innovation’s Net Zero Awards” - Will Barker, Co-founder and CEO at Mint Innovation.
