University of Kentucky innovation for ultra-quick concrete licensed to Minova

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 3, 2012) — A technology developed at the UK Center for Applied Energy Research and Minova’s North American headquarters in Georgetown, Ky., has been licensed by Minova for a new high-strength, ultra-quick setting concrete product. The product, trademarked as Tekcrete Fast and Tekcrete Fast M, will be used by the mining industry and civil engineers to immediately stabilize damaged infrastructure.

“The Tekcrete Fast technology is unique and allows a fiber-reinforced, high-strength, ultra-rapid setting concrete to be applied for almost immediate stabilization of damaged infrastructure,” said Peter Mills, Technology Leader at Minova. It uses the construction technique called shotcrete and is applied at high velocity that also facilitates adherence. A slightly different formulation, Tekcrete Fast M, is used in underground applications to almost instantly stabilize dangerous mining conditions, contributing to mine safety and potentially saving lives. 

“This is a great example of bringing University of Kentucky research and transformational technology to the marketplace,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “Collaborations with leading businesses such as Minova are very important to UK and the commonwealth in fulfilling our Kentucky Promise as the state’s land grant institution.”

Minova North America is a part of Minova International, a global leader offering mechanical, structural and chemical based solutions for underground mining, infrastructure, tunneling and civil engineering applications. According to Minova North America President and CEO, Jim Earl, “Collaborations such as this are important platforms for translating technologies from the laboratory bench to the marketplace.”

The research and joint patent leading to the Minova license began in 2009 when the UK Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) partnered with Minova on a project for the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate (DHS). This ongoing development and deployment project for the structural stabilization of shock damaged structures is managed by the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) in Somerset, Ky.

According to CAER Associate Director for Environmental & Coal Technologies, Tom Robl, it made perfect sense to bring Minova to the table for the DHS/NIHS project. “We have a long term working relationship with Minova and their technology leader Peter Mills,” said Robl.  “This has been an important and productive partnership for CAER and we believe there is even more potential for collaborative R&D projects in the future.”

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About the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research
The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (CAER) investigates energy technologies to improve the environment. CAER is staffed with professional scientists and engineers who contribute to technically-sound policies related to fossil and renewable energy. CAER is one of UK's multidisciplinary research centers. Current research efforts include coal beneficiation, utilization, and conversion process technologies; fuel use; coal combustion byproducts; engineered fuels; derivation of high added-value materials and chemicals; and renewable energy such as biofuels and bioenergy, electrochemistry, solar energy, and environmental remediation.

About Minova International
Minova International is the global leader in ground control systems and the world's leading provider of products, services and solutions for overcoming the challenges of controlling roof and strata in underground environments. Minova is a part of Orica, an Australian-based public company supplying an extensive range of products and services to the mining, construction and infrastructure industries. Orica employs more than 14,000 people and has operations in more than 50 countries.