In its 2022 Climate Change Report, global mining company Glencore has outlined its approach to reducing Scope 1 carbon emissions in both the near and long term. The company plans to improve operational efficiency to reduce diesel use and smelting process inefficiencies, as well as prioritizing action to electrify mining fleets with existing and improving technologies.
Specifically, Glencore has identified trolley assist as one of the main abatement technologies for reducing diesel consumption in its mining fleets, with pilots planned at its South American copper sites in the next two years.
Glencore’s fully owned copper mines in South America are well-suited for trolley pilots. At Antapaccay (Peru), Glencore has installed the latest large electric drive Komatsu haul trucks, which include 23 new units of the 400-ton class Komatsu 980E-5 delivered in 2021. At Lomas Bayas (Chile), the company has fully received its order for 27 new units of the 320-ton class 930E-5 in 2020/2021.
The company also plans to align mining fleet replacement with the arrival of new technology such as battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell haul trucks.
Finally, Glencore is collaborating with mining industry peers and equipment manufacturers through the International Council on Mining and Minerals to accelerate the development of zero-emission mining vehicles and aims to enable mining operations to adopt zero-emission surface mining fleets by 2040.
Source: INTERNATIONAL MINING
Image of Antapaccay Copper Mine, Peru: Glencore