In an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, and to provide sustainably-sourced raw materials to increasingly environmentally conscious consumers, major mining companies are turning to renewable power generation options.
In July, Chilean copper miner Antofagasta struck a deal with Chilean utility Colbun to power it’s Zaldivar copper mine with 100 percent renewable energy.
In September, US gold miner Newmont deployed a mobile solar-power array to its Akyem gold mine in Ghana with the aim of generating lower-cost renewable electricity and offsetting the mine’s energy demand.
Last year, Aggreko partnered with Canadian mining company Nevsun in a 10-year deal that would see them provide 7.5MW of solar power to the Bisha copper and zinc mine in Eritrea.
In addition to the ecological benefits, integrating renewable power can result in cost savings for mines. Energy can account for up to a third of a mine’s operating costs and combined solar and diesel hybrid solutions offer a 20 to 30 percent reduction in fuel costs while overcoming the issues of intermittency. You can read the full article HERE.