Air quality is vital for the health of environment and ecosystems. As a responsible producer, Glencore says it wants “to minimise impacts we have on the quality of air. This means working not only to minimise ‘stack emissions’ from chimneys – such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide – but also ‘fugitive emissions’ such as dust from coal and roads. At assets around the world, we have used technology to monitor emissions in real time; invested in multi-million-dollar projects to update our smelters; and worked to control emissions on road, by rail and at ports.”
“We always seek to engage with communities on important issues, such as air quality. And at Mount Isa Mines in Queensland, Australia, we are sharing air quality information with the community in near real-time. Our smartphone app gives access to an air quality portal, so community members can see can access information on SO2 emissions wherever they happen to be. We monitor air quality at the operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using one of the most intensive monitoring networks of any Australian city – and we upload data to the portal on an hourly basis.”
“When we acquired the Mopani copper asset in Zambia in 2000, its smelter had been freely emitting SO2 for decades. So we addressed the problem – completing a $500 million upgrade project in 2014, in one of the largest environmental projects ever undertaken in Zambia. Notably, we completed this three-stage project over several years, in order to keep the plant open while the upgrade happened – protecting the livelihood of its 9,000 employees. As a result of the work, we now capture more than 95% of Mopani’s SO2 emissions.”
“One of our largest emission reduction projects is at our Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations’ smelter, where we are using a bespoke solution to reduce SO2. Our solution involves two processes: a “high roast”, which captures more sulphur by turning into sulphuric acid; and a “controlled furnace atmosphere”, which reduces emissions by introducing oxygen-deficient gas to the furnace. The first phase of the project is complete. Notably, we recorded a Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) of zero, during the 465,796 hours worked on the project.”
“As part of our monitoring at assets around the world, we monitor air quality for particulate matter small than 10 microns – known as PM10 – which are linked to health problems because they can become lodged in the lungs. For example, at Alumbrera in Argentina, we have 10 monitoring stations at the mine site and neighbouring towns, which show that PM10 levels are lower than legal limits. We monitor PM10 monthly alongside other measures. Meanwhile at our open-pit mine at Cesar in Colombia, we have put in place a real-time PM10 warning system. This tool has helped us find new ways to reduce dust emissions, including when, where and how frequently to water roads; when to add chemical dust suppressants; when blasting can take place; and maximum speed limits in mines.”
“At the Altonorte copper smelter, near the Antofagasta port in northern Chile, we have been aiming to improve environmental performance since 2011. Initiatives include a continuous emission monitoring system, including self-assessment and external audits; and an integrated stack emissions management system, with a centralised control room to improve efficiency.”