Escondida, BHP’s massive copper mine in Chile, will switch completely to renewable sources of energy, according to the company’s chief external affairs officer Geoff Healy.
The 1.2 million tonne Escondida operation currently relies on gas for its energy requirement. One of the world’s largest copper mines, it produces approximately 20% of the global copper concentrate supply.
“We’re now in the late stages of securing a long-term contract for renewable power supply that could deliver significant cost savings relative to our current gas-fired supply,” Healy told investors during a Social Value Briefing in London, according to Mining Journal.
Renewable energy makes sense because Escondida’s power requirements have risen due to a recent investment in a seawater desalination plant, and declining mineral grades.
Located in the northern Atacama desert, the Escondida mine has access to excellent solar radiation. On the other hand, the zone from the Pacific coast to the Los Andes cordillera also has high winds. Escondida is, therefore, optimally located to develop both wind and solar renewable energy.
Apart from economic benefits, the switch to renewable energy is a major goal in BHP’s $400m climate investment program for the next five years.
Read the Mining Journal article HERE.
Image Source(Escondida Mine) : Wikimedia Commons
