Renewable energy and mining have conflicting priorities in Australia, the national Minerals Institute reports. Over 50% of Australia’s export income comes from coal, iron ore, and liquefied natural gas. BHP is reconsidering membership of Minerals Council of Australia, World Coal Association, and US Chamber of Commerce owing to pressure to reduce emissions. Yet it could save Read More
Photo by Dori (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 us], via Wikimedia Commons. Perth-based mining company South32 announced its support for carbon pricing today, asserting that pricing is an effective mechanism for efficiently reducing emissions. It supports pricing carbon across all industries and all sources of carbon emissions. The firm is the latest in a Read More
From the Energy and Mines Australia Summit in June 2017, this video comprises a excellent discussion session featuring representatives from Shell, BHP, South32, Sun Metals and Oz Minerals on the challenges of energy security and cost for grid-tied mines. Louis Kent of Energetics is the excellent chair. The session covers the following issues: How are the Read More
Carbon price regulations are boosting the case for renewables at mine sites by making them more financially viable, says one of Newmont Mining Corporation’s chief metallurgists, Frank Roberto. “Right now, without considering the cost of carbon, we default to the traditional sources of power. But, with the cost of carbon factored in, that gives us the opportunity to Read More
A qualitative and quantitative report on energy risk exposure in the Australian mining sector and the potential for renewables. The report explores energy use in the Australian mining sector and the current energy mix; the risks associated with the business as usual approach to powering mines; the potential and current limitations of renewables for Australian mines. Read More
June 19, 2017 --- International renewables leader Enel Green Power has joined the upcoming Energy and Mines Australia Summit as a Thought-Leader Sponsor. Taking place at the Pan Pacific, Perth on June 29-30, this Summit will provide a timely platform for mining leaders to meet with international renewables and finance experts to explore solutions for affordable Read More
“We understand that this wind-diesel hybrid power generation will be a first for an Australian mine, so naturally we are concentrating on the possible risks involved with implementing this technology,” comments Mike Kevan, Engineering Manager, Australian Garnet. Kevan is leading the implementation of a 6 MW wind-diesel hybrid generation system for the Balline Project, Australian Garnet’s Read More
Broken Hill is iconic of Australian mining, and so important to the country’s mining history that it was added to the National Heritage List in 2015. At its zenith, roughly 30,000 people called Broken Hill home, 3,500 of whom worked in mining. As the town’s resources dwindled, so did its population. Today, there are only 18,000 Read More
The renewables sector is developing highly innovative technologies and business models to meet the specific needs of the global mining sector. “Essentially, what we’re doing is making solar as convenient as a diesel generator. Our units are extremely easy to install and recover,” says Will Rayward-Smith, General Manager, SunSHIFT. In this week’s feature interview, Rayward-Smith discusses Read More
Photo credit: Max Pixel. The Minerals Council of Australia's submission to scientist Alan Finkel's review of the electricity market's future security pans his preliminary report, charging it fails to reflect the true cost of an emissions-based approach, omits advanced coal technologies, and favors renewable energy sources, rather than remaining technology-neutral. It claims that review appears to Read More
