Power magnate Adani will diversify its Australian holdings by building a $100 million solar farm in the heart of the nation’s coal country. While Adani’s operations in Australia have so far been limited to coal mining — its proposed Carmichael Coal Mine in central Queensland would be Australia’s largest, if approved — work on the array Read More
With insights from mining leaders at Fortescue Metals Group, Gold Fields, Teck Resources, and Avalon Advanced Materials, this week’s report looks at how carbon is driving new energy choices for the global mining sector. Alongside power security and cutting energy costs, reducing the emissions intensity of mining operations has been elevated to a top strategic concern for mines. 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
Bangkok at night by http://pcwallart.com/bangkok-night-view-wallpaper-4.html [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Thai coal giant Banpu is taking solar by the horns with a new downstream unit dubbed Banpu Infinergy, a “one-stop provider of total solar energy solutions” providing consultation, system design, installation, and maintenance services. The subsidiary will partner with industrial and private customers, including factories, Read More
Streamlining PPAs for hybrid microgrids may hasten their adoption, according to a new study from Munich-based consultancy THEnergy. While hybrid-diesel systems have become popular in remote areas and industrial settings, the contracts for hybrid systems are much more complex than for standard, renewable-only PPAs. The report lauds the mining sector as an industry pioneer in integrating Read More
Otjikoto Mine – Namibia. Image courtesy of B2Gold website Vancouver-based gold producer B2Gold will build a 7MW solar power plant at its Otjikoto mine in Namibia, Engineering News reports. Installation is already under way, with completion scheduled for early 2018. Once online, it will reduce reliance on the heavy fuel oil-fired power plant that currently powers Read More
Goro Mine Tailings Dam By Barsamuphe (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Pressure is mounting on mining companies to ensure they’re operating within their social licenses, Deloitte National Mining Leader Nicki Ivory says. Stakeholders have been questioning whether the industry is doing so, in light of a spate of accidents and concerns about climate Read More
Photo By Jllm06 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.The mining industry worldwide could slash carbon emissions by a gigaton by greening operations, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute. While mining is a highly energy-intensive activity, the sector’s investment in clean energy currently represents a mere 2.5 percent of the world’s renewable generation. Renewables hold Read More
Of the many takeaways from this June’s Energy and Mines Australia Summit in Perth, awareness of the inevitability of a low-carbon economy may be the most striking. Miners are now discussing how to integrate renewables—the debate over whether to do it at all is over. With the Paris Climate Accord reaffirmed and a host of pioneering Read More
