What XPS does

XPS Industry Relevant Solutions is a privately held Canadian technical consulting and laboratory services firm serving the global mining and metallurgy industry. The company delivers multidisciplinary expertise across seven service lines — mineralogy and geometallurgy, mineral processing, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, process control, process simulation and modelling, and materials technology — through laboratory and pilot-scale testing at its Falconbridge, Ontario Technology Centre, supplemented by embedded teams deployed to client operations for short- and long-term assignments. Its equipment base spans advanced instrumentation (QEMSCAN/TIMA, XRD, EPMA, LA-ICPMS, SEM-EDS), mineral processing hardware (Jameson L-150 Unit Cell, Knelson/Falcon concentrators, WLIMS magnetic separator), pyrometallurgical units (TGA-MS up to 1600°C, pilot DC furnace 300L/350kW, fluid bed roasters, induction furnaces), and hydrometallurgical systems (high-pressure leach autoclave, solvent extraction, ion exchange).

The company's business model is B2B professional services: engagements are scoped and quoted per project, with revenue drawn from metallurgical testwork campaigns, flowsheet development, troubleshooting, due diligence reviews, technology assessment, and on-site plant support. XPS also derives revenue from product distribution arrangements — most prominently the proprietary XPSFloat flotation optimization product, plus authorized reseller relationships for Control Station (loop tuning software), Integration Objects' SIOTH IT-OT platform, and Precia Molen weighing solutions. The firm operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Glencore, having been absorbed through the 2013 Xstrata–Glencore merger following its 2007 formation from the Xstrata Falconbridge merger; it rebranded as XPS Industry Relevant Solutions in 2022. Named external clients include Cerro de Pasco Resources, while its Glencore affiliation provides implicit captive demand across the parent's global mining and smelting operations.

Name

XPS

Legal name

XPS Industry Relevant Solutions

Website

https://xps.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

XPS is a Canadian mining and metallurgy technical consulting and laboratory services firm, serving global mining operators with mineralogy, processing, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, process control, and simulation expertise as a wholly-owned Glencore subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Falconbridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technical Consulting Services: XPS provides highly specialized technical consulting and process problem-solving for individual projects or operational challenges in the mining and metallurgy industry. Services include troubleshooting, optimization, process development, due diligence reviews, and on-site plant support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

XPS provides highly specialized technical consulting, laboratory services, and process problem-solving for the mining and metallurgy industry. The company delivers multidisciplinary expertise across seven service areas — Mineralogy and Geometallurgy, Mineral Processing, Pyrometallurgy, Hydrometallurgy, Process Control, Simulation and Modelling, and Materials Technology — through laboratory testing, pilot plant demonstration, and on-site operational support. Services include troubleshooting, flowsheet development, metallurgical testing, due diligence reviews, and embedded team assignments at client operations globally.

Product overview

XPS is a technical consulting and laboratory services company that offers a unified service portfolio rather than a modular software product. The company provides seven core service offerings: Mineralogy and Geometallurgy (ore characterisation, process diagnostics, QEMSCAN/TIMA, XRD, EPMA), Mineral Processing (flotation testing, gravity/magnetic separation, pilot plant demonstration, with equipment including Denver Flotation Machines, Jameson L-150 Unit Cell, Knelson/Falcon Gravity Concentrators), Pyrometallurgy (smelting, roasting, furnace operations, flowsheet design), Hydrometallurgy (leaching, solvent extraction, electrowinning), Process Control (regulatory control, APC, AI/ML, digital twinning, with distributed products including XPSFloat and third-party platforms like Precia Molen and Integration Objects Smart IOT Highway), Simulation and Modelling (FEA, CFD, mass/energy balances, digital twinning using COMSOL, SysCAD, METSIM, HSC Chemistry, FactSage, ARENA, CAESAR II), and Materials Technology (corrosion testing, QA/QC, metallurgical root cause failure analysis). These services are delivered through XPS's state-of-the-art laboratories in Falconbridge, Ontario and embedded teams at client operations globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mineralogy and Geometallurgy Services Ore characterisation, process diagnostics, and advanced mineralogy testing using QEMSCAN/TIMA, XRD (Powder X-Ray Diffraction), EPMA (WDS), and LA-ICPMS instrumentation. Targeted at mining companies requiring detailed mineralogical analysis for process development and troubleshooting.
• Mineral Processing Services Flotation testing, gravity and magnetic separation, pilot plant demonstration, and flowsheet optimization for mining operators and project developers. Uses Denver Flotation Machines, Jameson L-150 Unit Cell, Knelson and Falcon Gravity Concentrators, WLIMS Magnetic Separator, and Bottle Roll Machines.
• Pyrometallurgy Services Smelting, roasting, furnace operations, and pyrometallurgical flowsheet design for smelters and processing facilities. Uses TGA-MS, Rotary Kilns (Batch and Continuous), Induction Furnaces (10kW, 30kW), Controlled Atmosphere Furnaces, Fluid Bed Roasters, and a Pilot DC Furnace. Pyrometallurgy team is based in Sudbury, Ontario, providing on-site plant support and testwork.
• Hydrometallurgy Services Leaching, solvent extraction, ion exchange, and electrowinning testwork for mining operators. Uses atmospheric leach and neutralization setup, high pressure leach autoclave, solvent extraction equipment, ion exchange equipment, and potentiostat/galvanostat.
• Process Control Services Regulatory control, advanced regulatory control (ARC), advanced process control (APC), expert systems, predictive maintenance, alarm rationalization, and digital twinning. Leverages data analytics from mine to port for process optimization and proactive asset failure prevention.
• Process Simulation and Modelling Services Flowsheet optimization and digital twinning for metallurgical plant development, optimization, and troubleshooting. Uses FEA, CFD, mass/energy balances, and advanced computer simulation with COMSOL, SysCAD, METSIM, HSC Chemistry, FactSage, ARENA, and CAESAR II.
• Materials Technology Services Corrosion testing, QA/QC, and metallurgical root cause failure analysis for mining and industrial clients. Uses Potentiostat, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), EDS, Microhardness Tester, Digital Microscope with 3D Imaging, Portable XRF, and ASTM G65 Abrasion Tester.
• XPSFloat Proprietary process control product developed by XPS for flotation optimization and monitoring in mining operations.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Glencore TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025Partnership expanded to serve as the North American hub for Jameson Cell testwork services. XPS in Falconbridge, Ontario offers integrated laboratory and pilot-scale testing capabilities, enabling North American mining operations to access full Jameson Cell flotation testing programs combined with mineralogical analysis. The collaboration leverages consistent hydrodynamic conditions across laboratory, pilot, and full-scale Jameson Cells to reduce project risk and simplify technology implementation.
• Glencore TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhile XPS provides highly specialized technical consulting, laboratory services, and process problem-solving for individual projects, their partner at Glencore Technology focuses on delivering scalable, proven hardware and process technologies. This complementary relationship provides comprehensive solutions to mining clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SRK Consulting: Specialized mining consulting firm offering geology, geometallurgy, process engineering, and due diligence services. Closely comparable to XPS in mining-specific consulting depth and project-based delivery model.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with substantial mining services (metallurgical testing, mineralogy, flowsheet development, on-site labs). Directly comparable to XPS in providing outsourced metallurgical testwork to mining clients.
• Hatch: Global engineering consultancy with deep mining and metals practice spanning process design, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, and plant commissioning. Closely comparable to XPS in metallurgical consulting depth, though operating at materially greater scale.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification group with mining-focused commodity testing and metallurgy services. Comparable to XPS as an outsourced provider of metallurgical and mineral analysis to mining operators.
• ALS Limited: Major commercial testing laboratory with a dedicated Geochemistry and Metallurgy division serving mining clients across sample preparation, assaying, mineralogy, and metallurgical testing — directly overlapping XPS's lab testing mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Metso: Large mining and metals processing equipment and services company combining process technology, plant design, and aftermarket services. Comparable to XPS in process flowsheet expertise but as a much larger incumbent.
• Wood: Global engineering and consulting firm with mining and metals advisory capabilities alongside broader energy and infrastructure services. Comparable to XPS in metallurgical/process engineering but with broader portfolio and scale.
• Worley: Energy and resources engineering, project delivery, and consulting firm with significant mining and metals practice. Comparable to XPS in delivering metallurgical and process engineering projects to mining operators.
• Tetra Tech: International consulting and engineering firm with mining and minerals services spanning metallurgy, water management, and environmental compliance. Comparable to XPS in mining-focused technical consulting, though significantly larger.
• FLSmidth: Global supplier of mining and cement process equipment, technologies, and EPC services. Adjacent to XPS through its minerals processing technology portfolio and flowsheet expertise, though operating at scale as an OEM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 XPS