Eriez President and CEO Jaisen Kohmuench has announced the selection of Eriez to receive the 2024 Robert E. Murray Innovation Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME).
The award recognizes individuals and organizations that propel the mining industry forward through groundbreaking technological innovations. Eriez will be formally honored during the SME Annual Conference and Expo, taking place February 23–26 in Denver, Colo.
The SME citation commends Eriez “for its development of cutting-edge technology that addresses century-old challenges in flotation, enabling the mining industry to align best practices in separation science with modern-day sustainability requirements.”
In addition to receiving the award, Eriez will be featured during the closing segment of SME’s keynote session on February 24. Kohmuench, alongside Executive Vice President of Global Technology Mike Mankosa, will deliver a presentation highlighting Eriez’ state-of-the-art flotation technologies, discussing flotation challenges, and providing insight into how industry collaboration is key to successfully developing and deploying new technologies.
Kohmuench, a 25-year veteran of Eriez, was appointed president and CEO in January 2024. His visionary leadership has played a vital role in driving Eriez’ global expansion, boosting its market share across diverse sectors, and solidifying its reputation as an industry leader in mining innovation. He holds a doctoral degree in Mining and Minerals Engineering from Virginia Tech.
Mankosa has been a cornerstone of Eriez’ success for 30 years. During his tenure, he has pioneered some of the company’s most revolutionary technologies, including the HydroFloat and StackCell separators, advancing coarse and fine particle concentration processes. Mankosa earned a doctoral degree in Mining and Minerals Engineering from Virginia Tech.
Both Kohmuench and Mankosa are prolific inventors, each with an impressive portfolio of process and equipment patents. Together and individually, they have authored hundreds of technical papers and earned an array of industry accolades for their groundbreaking work in mineral beneficiation.
The 2024 Robert E. Murray Innovation Award honor is a testament to Eriez’ unwavering commitment to addressing the mining industry’s evolving challenges through ongoing research and development. Eriez continues to promote a more sustainable future with its trailblazing work focused on improving mineral separation techniques that maximize recovery efficiency while minimizing energy and water consumption.
Source: Eriez