Acquisition integrates the world’s largest mine-specific microbiome database with Koonkie's advanced biological data science capabilities.
VANCOUVER, BC, November 9 2026 – Koonkie, a Canadian computational intelligence company, has acquired nPhyla, a biotechnology company that operates the Mining Microbiome Analytics Platform (M-MAP), the world’s largest mine-specific microbial database. M-MAP will now be offered as part of Koonkie’s platform services.
“Up to 80% of microbes inhabiting mine sites are new to science. By bringing nPhyla's M-MAP platform into the Koonkie ecosystem, we’re supercharging our capability to identify, monitor and interface with known and novel microbial life inhabit mining environments on a global scale” says Steven Hallam, CEO and Co-founder of Koonkie Canada Inc.
Koonkie was the core software development partner in the original M-MAP initiative, which brought together major mining companies, researchers, and technology developers to turn the largely untapped biological potential of mine sites into actionable information supporting different stages of the mining life cycle. The acquisition unites Koonkie's expertise in data analytics and algorithm development with nPhyla's extensive environmental DNA (eDNA) database and platform architecture. Encompassing more than 18,000 samples, this resource integrates biological, geochemical, mineralogical, and spatial data at unprecedented scale.
Making Biology Operational for the Mining Industry
At the heart of the acquisition is nPhyla’s mine-tailored database and platform architecture , which provides Koonkie with new opportunities to identify microbial indicators, recognize ecological interactions, and understand how their functions can impact the environment.
The integration of M-MAP with Koonkie’s computational intelligence supports next level foundation models that will enable operators to develop site-specific knowledge systems that promote more economical nature-positive outcomes. Key applications include:
Environmental monitoring: Comparing site-specific microbial communities against a broader reference dataset to better understand local biodiversity and environmental change.
Mine reclamation: Integrating biological measurements with complementary environmental datasets to support restoration planning and the evaluation of ecosystem recovery.
Predictive environmental intelligence: Developing models that associate microbial communities with geochemical and spatial conditions to support environmental assessment and targeted interventions.
Biological discovery: Identifying previously uncharacterized microorganisms and biological functions with potential applications in exploration, mineral recovery, remediation, and other mining processes.
About Koonkie
Koonkie is a computational intelligence company specializing in biological data science. The company works with Tier-1 mining companies, environmental consultants, universities, and other partners to solve complex data challenges in natural and engineered environments. Koonkie’s expertise spans the generation, processing, analysis, interpretation, and maintenance of large-scale environmental datasets to deliver actionable insights for economical nature-positive outcomes.
About nPhyla
nPhyla is a Canadian biotechnology company leveraging environmental DNA to accelerate innovations in mining and reclamation. nPhyla operates the Mining Microbiome Analytics Platform (M-MAP). nPhyla was the first commercial entity spun out from a DIGITAL-funded project that included founding investment from Teck Resources, Rio Tinto, BCG Engineering, Microsoft, Koonkie, GenomeBC, BRIMM at UBC, and Allonnia.