Australia’s first commercial solar plant used to displace diesel has commenced operation at mining giant Rio Tinto’s Weipa bauxite mine in Queensland. US-based PV manufacturer and developer First Solar’s 1.7MW capacity plant is expected to generate 2.8GWh of electricity each year. It will provide up to 20% of the daytime electricity demand of the remote mine’s Read More
The global mining sector is facing a tough business environment with low commodity pricing, rising energy costs and constraints, increasingly remote locations and heightened stakeholder opposition. In this environment, the need to reduce operational power costs and gain stakeholder buy-in is critical to success and mining leaders are increasingly interested in the role that renewable energy Read More
With commodity prices low, now is the best time for mines to invest in and explore operational efficiencies to remain competitive. As such, Energy and Mines Toronto Summit on October 22-23 has seen increased interest from senior mining leaders wanting to understand the operational savings of alternative energy solutions for remote and grid-tied mines. Currently 57 Read More
Toronto, ON. September 9, 2015- Energy and Mines is pleased to announce that Caterpillar is the Principal Sponsor of the upcoming 3rd annual Energy and Mines Toronto Summit taking place October 22-23. This high-caliber Summit is expected to see a record turnout of mining executives from major and junior mining operations who are looking to understand Read More
“Mining companies are looking for opportunities to use economic forms of alternative energy in order to reduce their reliance on stand-alone diesel generators and the generation of greenhouse gases,” says R. Brent Murphy, Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Seabridge Gold. For its KSM project in British Columbia which will be grid connected, Seabridge Gold has Read More
Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond mine made history three years ago when it implemented the first wind-diesel hybrid for a remote northern mine installing four 2.3 MW wind turbines in Canada’s North West Territories. Liezl van Wyk, Manager, Mine Technical Services & SCAP for Diavik Diamond Mines is the champion of this ground-breaking project and will present Read More
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) last year announced funding for a ground-breaking two-phase project in far north Queensland that will supply renewable energy to Weipa’s bauxite mine, township and port. ARENA CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, said the collaborative $23.4 million project was a first for Australia and a first for ARENA, and would demonstrate the potential for renewable Read More
Mining is the fourth-largest energy consumer in Australia, using roughly 10% of Australia’s total. Some of this comes from the electricity grid — but much is supplied offgrid in the form of diesel and other fossil fuels. Could some of this be replaced by renewable sources? Read Full Article The Conversation, Dec 16th
Announced today, First Solar to build a A$23.4 PV plant to power the Rio Tinto bauxite mine operations, facilities and the local township. A really excellent and exciting example. Bloomeberg covered the story with the headline: First Solar Expects Rio Deal to Spur Global Expansion in Mining. The detailed First Solar press release can be viewed Read More
This is one of the first examples of the use of remote renewables in a Canadian mine-site. Faced with the increased price uncertainty and logistical issues of transporting diesel to beyond the arctic circle, Rio Tinto's Diavik mine took on the remarkable challenge of developing a wind power project in extreme conditions. This case-studies provides strategic Read More
