What JKTech does

JKTech Pty Ltd is a Brisbane-based technology transfer company wholly owned by The University of Queensland, operating since 1985 as the commercial arm of the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC). It serves the global mining and minerals industry with a portfolio of proprietary simulation software (JKSimMet for comminution and classification circuit simulation, JKSimFloat for flotation plant simulation, JKVBOC for blast movement prediction in open-pit mining, and JKSimBlast for blasting simulation and information management), the freeware JKToolKit Excel application, specialised testing equipment, expert consulting, laboratory services, and a catalogue of professional development courses covering geometallurgy, comparative statistics, flotation chemistry, metallurgical accounting, and process optimisation. Several products are described as award-winning and the de facto industry standard, with JKSimBlast alone used by over 900 users worldwide across surface, underground, and tunnel blasting applications.

The business model blends four revenue streams: (i) one-time/perpetual software licensing and sales of simulation products, (ii) fee-for-service consulting engagements (process mineralogy, data analytics, metallurgical testwork, due diligence, peer reviews), (iii) professional development courses priced between AUD 500 and AUD 4,520 per seat, delivered in-person at locations including Brisbane, Perth, Lima, and Santiago and online in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and (iv) laboratory services for ore characterisation. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with a channel partnership (Soft-Blast for JKSimBlast) and an online learning platform with 4-week course access. Pricing is denominated in AUD and listed publicly.

JKTech serves 600+ METS companies, 200+ mining operations, across 100+ countries and 48 commodities. Named enterprise customers include Rio Tinto and Boyne Smelters Limited (a Rio Tinto joint venture producing over 500,000 tonnes of aluminium per year). The company operates from its headquarters at the UQ Experimental Mine Site in Indooroopilly, Brisbane, with a wholly-owned South American subsidiary, SMI-ICE-Chile SpA, headquartered in Santiago, Chile. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range; revenue is not publicly disclosed and no external funding rounds or M&A activity were identified.

Name

JKTech

Legal name

JKTech Pty Ltd

Website

https://jktech.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JKTech is a Brisbane-based, University of Queensland-owned technology transfer company providing proprietary simulation software (JKSimMet, JKSimFloat, JKVBOC, JKSimBlast), consulting, laboratory services, and professional development courses for the global mining and minerals industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Software and Consulting

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (2131), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Processing Plant Design & EPCM (Flowsheet Development, Piloting & Scale-up) (IMAKALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA), Mining & Mineral Processing Facility Construction (IMAFADAE)

Keywords

• Mineral processing software
• Mining consulting services
• Comminution circuit simulation
• Flotation plant modeling
• Geometallurgy laboratories

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing and Sales: Sale and licensing of simulation software products including JKSimMet, JKSimFloat, JKVBOC, JKSimBlast, and JKToolKit for mineral processing optimization.
2. Consulting Services: Expert consultancy services covering process mineralogy, data analytics, metallurgical testwork and analysis, due diligence and peer review work.
3. Professional Development Courses: Short courses and workshops including JKSimMet training, JKSimFloat training, Comparative Statistics, Flotation Chemistry Fundamentals, JKMetSkill, and various workshops. Delivered in-person and online globally.
4. Laboratory Services: Advanced laboratory services for ore characterisation and testing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JKTech develops, licenses, and supports proprietary simulation software (JKSimMet, JKSimFloat, JKVBOC, JKSimBlast, JKToolKit) for comminution, classification, flotation, blasting, and ore control in mineral processing operations. Alongside its software, the company delivers expert mining and minerals consulting, ore characterisation laboratory services, specialised testing equipment, and a global professional development course catalogue for metallurgists and process engineers.

Product overview

JKTech provides an integrated portfolio of software products and professional development services for the global mining and minerals industry. The core software suite includes JKSimMet (award-winning software for comminution and classification circuit simulation), JKSimFloat (flotation plant simulation based on AMIRA P9 kinetic models), JKVBOC (blast movement simulation for ore control), JKSimBlast (blasting simulation and information management), and JKToolKit (freeware Excel calculation app). JKTech also offers testing equipment and comprehensive professional development courses including JKSimMet Training, JKSimFloat Training, Comparative Statistics and Experimental Design, Metallurgical Accounting and Reconciliation, JKMetSkill, Flotation Chemistry Fundamentals, Geometallurgical Foundations, and JK Workshops covering specialised topics like Flotation Optimisation and Comminution Optimisation. With over 40 years of industry experience developed at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), JKTech's products serve 600+ METS companies, 200+ mining operations, across 100+ countries in 48 commodities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JKSimMet Award-winning, general-purpose software package for the analysis and simulation of comminution and classification circuits in mineral processing operations. Integrates data analysis, optimisation, design and simulation including mass balancing, model fitting, and high-resolution colour graphics for detailed plant flowsheets. Used by plant metallurgists, design engineers, researchers and consultants.
• JKSimFloat General-purpose software package for the simulation of flotation plant operations based on AMIRA P9 flotation kinetic models. Enables analysis of batch cell and flotation plant data, mass balance on a size-by-assay basis, and simulation of flowsheet changes to predict flows and metal grades. Designed for plant metallurgists, design engineers, researchers and consultants.
• JKVBOC JK Value Based Ore Control tool, an engineering application to simulate and predict blast movement in open pit mining to enable proactive ore loss and dilution decisions. Designed for drill and blast engineers, mining engineers, geologists, and ore controllers.
• JKSimBlast Award-winning, general-purpose software system for simulation and information management for blasting in mines and related operations. Modular system designed for engineers to standardise control of blasting operations, with over 900 users worldwide.
• JKToolKit Freeware Excel application providing a suite of calculations for mineral processing practitioners, including industry-standard models such as Morrell's power draw model for tumbling mills, error propagation assessments of yield and recovery calculations, and routines to statistically compare regression lines and grade-recovery curves.
• Testing Equipment Specialised testing equipment for the mining and minerals industry, offered alongside JKTech's software solutions for ore characterisation and metallurgical testwork.
• Consulting Services Expert consultancy services covering process mineralogy, data analytics, metallurgical testwork and analysis, due diligence and peer review work for mining and mineral processing customers globally. Delivered by JKTech's team of consultants and associates.
• Laboratory Services Advanced laboratory services for ore characterisation and testing, supporting JKTech's geometallurgy approach that connects ore characteristics to plant performance for mining and mineral processing customers.
• Professional Development Courses Catalogue of short courses and workshops developing modelling, simulation, statistical, metallurgical accounting, geometallurgy and flotation chemistry skills for metallurgists and process engineers. Delivered in-person at global locations (Brisbane, Perth, Lima, Santiago, Manila, Bunbury) and online with 4-week access periods, in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Includes JKSimMet Training, JKSimFloat Training, Comparative Statistics and Experimental Design, Metallurgical Accounting and Reconciliation, JKMetSkill, Flotation Chemistry Fundamentals, Geometallurgical Foundations, Conducting and Analysing Plant Trials, and JK Workshops covering Flotation Optimisation, Comminution Optimisation, Metallurgical Sampling, Geometallurgy Fundamentals and Introduction to Mine Reconciliation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used by 600+ METS companies, 200+ mining operations, in 100+ countries across 48 commodities

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Soft-BlastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSoft-Blast serves as the distribution channel for JKSimBlast software. JKSimBlast is an award-winning software system for simulation and information management for blasting in mines, developed based on more than 20 years of mining research at JKMRC.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SGS: SGS provides mineral testing, geometallurgy, metallurgical accounting and laboratory services to the global mining industry — directly comparable to JKTech's laboratory services and ore characterization work for the same METS and mining customer base.
• Ausenco: Ausenco (formerly Ausenco Technical Solutions Group) provides mineral processing engineering, EPCM and consulting services — comparable to JKTech's consulting offerings and an employer of JKTech alumni (e.g., Tim Vizcarra).
• Hatch: Hatch is a global engineering consultancy providing mineral processing design and optimization services — comparable to JKTech's consulting arm, especially given staff overlap (e.g., JKTech personnel with Hatch-adjacent backgrounds) and shared mining clients.

Direct peers

• Maptek: Maptek provides mining software (Vulcan, Evolution, BlastLogic) for geological modeling, mine planning, and drill-and-blast optimization — directly overlapping JKTech's JKSimMet, JKSimFloat, JKVBOC and JKSimBlast offerings in the same mining customer segment.
• Micromine: Micromine provides integrated mining software (Micromine, Pitram, Origin) covering geology, resource estimation, and mine operations — competing with JKTech for software and consulting budgets at similar mid-tier and major mining customers.
• RPMGlobal: RPMGlobal delivers mining software (Xpac, HAULSIM, CCS) and consulting services to the same mining and minerals processing customers JKTech serves, with overlapping consulting and software economics and similar metals/commodities focus.
• Datamine: Datamine supplies software for geological modeling, mine planning, and mineral processing optimization (MineScape, Studio OP, ProcessMax) — directly comparable to JKTech's simulation and consulting portfolio serving base and precious metals miners.

Broad incumbents

• FLSmidth: FLSmidth provides mineral processing equipment, EPCM services and digital solutions for comminution and flotation — overlapping with JKTech's JKSimMet/JKSimFloat flowsheet simulation work for the same customer base.
• Metso: Metso Corporation is a major mining and aggregates equipment/process technology supplier (formerly Metso Outotec) offering comminution and flotation process equipment plus digital services — a broad incumbent whose process optimization tools intersect with JKTech's simulation portfolio.
• Hexagon Mining: Hexagon Mining (part of Hexagon AB) offers a broad portfolio including HxGN MinePlan, MineProtect and integrated operations platforms — a much larger incumbent with overlapping simulation and mine-planning capabilities that competes for JKTech's customer wallet share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLHL33vVp-RX3QBBwXRCO64jwwLAXSRbqw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jktech-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JKTech