The spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress highlights that the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy and a number of national strategic and forward-looking scientific and technological projects should be accelerated, enhancing the ability of independent innovation.
In 2022, Jinchuan Group focused on the deployment of "strong science and technology" action, implemented the strategy of "relying on scientific and technological progress and implementing internationalized operation", carried out more than 1,000 scientific research projects through the integration of production, education and research, accelerated the conversion and application of key technology research achievements, developed core technologies and equipment with independent intellectual property rights, and reached the international and domestic advanced level in the mining, beneficiation and metallurgy of nickel, cobalt and platinum group metal.
The capability of scientific and technological innovation continues to increase
On June 12, 2022, the 24th Jinchuan Conference on Science and Technology Development opened in Jinchang. More than 400 experts and scholars from universities and research institutes across the country and relevant enterprises carried out in-depth discussions on improving scientific and technological innovation capabilities, promoting new energy and supporting industries, researching and developing new nickel-cobalt products urgently needed by the country, and building smart factories.
The 24th Jinchuan Conference on Science and Technology Development [Photo provided to en.jnmc.com]
Since 1978, 23 conferences have been held to tackle key scientific and technological problems of Jinchuan Group. "Jinchuan experience" and "Jinchuan mode" have become models of domestic enterprises relying on scientific and technological progress. The development history of Jinchuan Group is also known as "the history of scientific and technological progress of the nickel and cobalt industry".
Since 2020, in order to meet the needs of rapid development and internationalized operations, Jinchuan has taken technological progress as the key to adjust its economic structure, and has organized and implemented over 480 scientific research projects.
The innovation of Jinchuan Group [Photo provided to en.jnmc.com]
Jinchuan Group has continued to strengthen the construction of innovation platforms. The National Nickel and Cobalt New Material Engineering and Technology Research Center passed its evaluation and acceptance by the Ministry of Science and Technology; the operation plan of the National Key Laboratory for Comprehensive Utilization of Nickel and Cobalt Resources passed its review; and the first manufacturing innovation center in Gansu province, the Gansu Nickel and Cobalt New Material Innovation Center, was established by Jinchuan.
Jinchuan has increased investment in scientific and technological research and development to maintain its technological competitiveness. The average annual growth rate of R&D investment has exceeded 20%, and the proportion of new product income has exceeded 40%.
The collaborative innovation vitality bursts out
The National Key Laboratory for the Comprehensive Utilization of Nickel and Cobalt Resources, located in the Nonferrous Metal New Materials and Chemical Recycling Economic Industrial Park of Jinchuan Grouup, is one of the first approved national key laboratories of an enterprise in Gansu province.
The National Key Laboratory for Comprehensive Utilization of Nickel and Cobalt Resources [Photo provided to en.jnmc.com]
In recent years, the laboratory has gathered and trained outstanding talents, and tackled technical problems in the utilization of resources, key functional materials, new energy materials and digital transformation in the field of nickel and cobalt metals.
In March 2021, Jinchuan Group, together with 38 domestic scientific research institutions and large and medium-sized enterprises, established the "Gansu Nickel Cobalt Resource Efficient Utilization and New Product Development and Innovation Consortium", laying a foundation for new scientific and technological research.
Jinchuan Group has deepened cooperation with universities and research institutes, and launched 12 projects with the principal an "open competition mechanism to select the best candidates".
At present, the investment in R&D of Jinchuan is 1.13 billion yuan, up 22.8% year-on-year. Eighty scientific and technological research projects have been implemented, and 15 major national, provincial and municipal scientific research projects undertaken. The conversion rate of scientific research achievements sits at 75%, and the contribution rate of scientific and technological innovation development at 65%. A total of 736 authorized patents have been obtained, and the conversion rate of patent achievements is 68%.
Jinchuan will ensure that the total R&D investment at the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period is no less than 5.5 billion yuan (about $810 million), strive to undertake more than 5 national major projects and 20 provincial key projects, and achieve a conversion rate of scientific and technological achievements of more than 65%. Additionally, by the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the enterprise will strive to achieve 520 billion yuan of operating revenue and 350 billion yuan of gross industrial output.”
The upgrade of "made by Jinchuan"
From the three dimension of "solving key technological problems", "upgrading traditional industries" and "cultivating emerging industries", Jinchuan has promoted its industrial transformation and upgrading, and relied on scientific and technological innovation to find a high-quality development path.
The 20kt/a high-precision electronic copper strip project of the Jinchuan Niedu Industrial Co., Ltd. for realizing the transformation and upgrade of the industry [Photo provided to en.jnmc.com]
The company has continuously accelerated the development of nickel and cobalt new materials, battery materials and precious metal materials industries, and a number of technologies have filled the domestic technology gap. New breakthroughs have been made in key technology fields, such as equipment technology and product deep processing. Jinchuan has further improved its international status and become the first batch of national intellectual property demonstration enterprises and an innovation demonstration base with international standards.
In the past five years, Jinchuan Group has completed more than 350 major scientific research projects, seen over 12,000 technological innovation achievements made by employees, formulated and revised more than 70 national and industrial standards, obtained over 2,300 authorized patents, and won 66 scientific and technological progress awards at provincial and ministerial levels.
