Company History
An industry recognised specialist provider with 20+ years of experience.
If you haven’t heard of Simulus, first let us assure you we are not new!
The Simulus Group was founded in 2004 as a specialist process engineering and simulation business with a particular focus on hydrometallurgy, the result of the founding team’s industry experience.
Simulus’ unique selling proposition is the ability to provide each part of the project development value chain in-house from the metallurgical testwork at our own laboratory, through process simulation and engineering design supported withe technical consulting services all under one roof, the ideal combination to develop or prove your flowsheet. This can be extended to project delivery with our execution partners, as well as commissioning and ongoing technical and operational support.
The origin of the Simulus business was to use process ‘Simulation’ (yes that is where the name comes from!) and other technology to apply systematic and thorough processes to support the rapid development and design of process plants with an emphasis on practical and economic outcomes. It was envisaged that this would lead to less errors and re-work, better designs and ultimately better process plants and faster ramp-up.
Systematic and sustained growth saw the business recognised as the Australian Small Business of the Year in 2006 at the Telstra Business Awards and was also recognised as Western Australia’s most innovative business in the same year. In 2007, Simulus was listed as a Fast100 Business in the BRW Fast 100 list of Australia’s top 100 growing businesses.
Over time the business has expanded its services and honed its hydrometallurgical focus, with particular expertise in battery and critical minerals, rare earths and platinum group metals to improve its client offering. Simulus Engineers now offer full, multidisciplinary engineering capability and operational support whilst maintaining a strong focus on the early stages of project development, specifically metallurgical testwork programs, flowsheet development, scoping and prefeasibility studies, with capacity to undertake bankable feasibility studies or partner with others in a processing function to deliver this level of work. Simulus also has an extensive due diligence, independent technical review and competent person reporting reference list of well over 400 projects worldwide.
Simulus Laboratories was then established in 2011, to meet in-house and third-party metallurgical testwork requirements. Whilst offering a wide range of tests, the laboratory has particularly expertise in complex hydrometallurgical testing from bench-scale to semi-continuous and pilot scale capabilities, all supported by in-house, rapid turn-around analytical laboratory capabilities. We have tested an amazing variety of flowsheets and have a range of equipment of different sizes to tests at most scales. And if you are a hands-on type client, it is an accommodating and inclusive workplace and you are always welcome in the laboratory facilities during your testwork campaigns.
Simulus Engineers are established and recognised industry leaders in metallurgical consulting and engineering, particularly in hydrometallurgy. We have extensive experience in Greenfield developments and Brownfield reviews and upgrades. Our client list includes many of the world’s most successful mining companies as well as some of the industry’s smallest ‘juniors’. We are active in battery metals like nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, lithium, graphite, vanadium in both metal and/or salt form, rare earths (REEs), platinum group metals (PGMs), gold, silver, alumina, high purity alumina, zinc, lead, uranium, mineral sands, iron ore, magnetite, scandium, phosphates, graphite and in other mineral processing and the hydrometallurgical space. Just ask us whether we have looked at something before, because if we haven’t looked at your project or operation specifically, we almost certainly would have looked at similar ones!
Simulus Engineers are leading specialists in the rapid development of scoping and pre-feasibility studies for the minerals industry. We have an established track record of delivering projects to a wide range of clients for new and existing flowsheets. Simulus has developed an integrated process modelling and capital and operating cost tool to enable rapid estimation of capital and operating costs for multiple project scenarios, enabling studies to be delivered quicker and cheaper than you might expect.
Collectively, the Simulus Group has developed flowsheets, engineering studies and conducted project assessments for over 500 projects in over 80 countries for over 400 companies. A particular measure of the company’s technical success is the high level of repeat clientele. The Simulus Group is also able to provide non-process and infrastructure support through its associates providing geology, geotechnical, hydrogeology, mining, tailings and environmental expertise when required. We are also comfortable partnering with others and regularly engage on this basis, as well as taking a collaborative and engaged approach with clients.
In July 2023, Lifezone Metals, a long-term client of more than a decade though related entities, acquired Simulus Engineers and Simulus Laboratories. The intent was for Simulus to continue to support Lifezone’s Kabanga and Kahama Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project in Tanzania, as well as its joint venture with Glencore to recycle platinum, palladium and rhodium from auto-catalysts, and continue the development of Lifezone’s Hydrometallurgical Technology. The consolidated groups’ technical team has an extensive range of hydrometallurgical testwork, design and operating experience in projects across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America and through the Pacific region.
Simulus continues to operate independently as a separate entity to Lifezone and continues to undertake third party work. We welcome and encourage your inquiries and explore how we may be able to collaborate, support and develop your project.
