Tag Archives: Don Lindsay

Teck forms 50:50 jv with Polymet as it targets production from Minnesota’s Iron Range

Base metals, Energy minerals, Mineral project development, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Precious metals, , , , , ,

Teck Resources has announced an agreement with PolyMet Mining Corp to form a 50:50 joint venture to advance PolyMet’s NorthMet Project and Teck’s Mesaba mineral deposit, both located in the Iron Range of Minnesota, USA.

The joint venture will be named NewRange Copper Nickel LLC, with Glencore plc retaining its majority equity interest in PolyMet and providing financial support for its share of the funding commitment to the joint venture.

“The NewRange Copper Nickel joint venture brings together two large, well defined mineral resources in the established Iron Range mining region of Minnesota,” Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck, said. “This agreement will help unlock a new domestic supply of critical metals for the low-carbon transition through responsible mining.”

Closing of the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

The NorthMet project is near both existing and closed iron ore mines and utilises existing brownfield tailings storage and plant locations to minimise environmental impact. NorthMet is expected to produce 29,000 t/d of over a 20-year permitted mine life, with first production targeted for 2026. Over its first full five years of operations, NorthMet is expected to deliver annual payable production of 30,000 t of copper, 3,600 t of nickel, 58,000 oz of palladium, and 12,000 oz of platinum.

Earlier this year, the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed nearly all aspects of the water discharge permit for the NorthMet project, overruling six of the seven challenges to the permit made by mining opponents and paving the way for the “reactivation” of this key permit, PolyMet Mining Corp Chairman, President and CEO, Jon Cherry, said at the time.

The Mesaba mineral deposit, in the Duluth Complex near the NorthMet project, contains one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-nickel resources, according to Teck. While further studies and community consultations are required to fully define the long-term development potential, Mesaba represents a strategic metal resource for North America, it added.

Teck to trial carbon capture utilisation and storage tech at Trail Operations

Coal technology, Environmental, Mine operation news, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Teck Resources has announced a Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) pilot project at its Trail Operations metallurgical complex in southern British Columbia, Canada, in support of its Net-Zero Climate Change Strategy.

The CCUS pilot is expected to begin operation in the second half of 2023 and is expected to contribute to the company’s aim of reducing the carbon intensity of its operations by 33% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

“This carbon capture pilot is an important step towards our knowledge building for the application of carbon capture, utilisation and storage as an emissions reduction solution, as we work to evaluate pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and achieve our net-zero goal,” Don Lindsay, President and CEO, said. “The pilot also provides us with a technical platform to assist our steelmaking coal customers in materially reducing the carbon intensity of their steel production.”

The pilot plant will capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the acid plant flue gas at Trail Operations at a rate of 3 t/d. The pilot project will also evaluate options for the utilisation and/or storage of the captured CO2 at Trail Operations, Teck says.

If successful, the project could be scaled up to an industrial CCUS plant with the potential to capture over 100,000 t/y of CO2 at Trail Operations, the equivalent emissions of more than 20,000 cars.

Teck acknowledged the support of the CleanBC Industry Fund for its funding contribution towards the CCUS Pilot Plant Feasibility Study, which was an important step in advancing the pilot. The CleanBC Industry Fund highlights the alignment between industry and government in achieving Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, it said.

Teck Resources looks to become ‘nature positive’ by 2030

Base metals, Environmental, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Teck Resources Limited is setting a goal to become a “nature positive” company by 2030, including through conserving or rehabilitating at least three hectares for every one hectare affected by its mining activities.

Teck says it is taking immediate action towards achieving this ambitious goal through land conservation investments that will protect 14,000 ha of wildlife habitat and ecosystems in Canada and Chile. This is equivalent to over 40% of its current mining footprint and equal to 40 Central Parks in New York.

“We are committed to working with local partners, communities and Indigenous Peoples to conserve ecologically and culturally significant lands and work towards the goal of becoming a nature positive mining company by 2030,” Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck, said. “Nature loss is a serious global challenge that we are all called on to do our part to halt and reverse. Working towards being nature positive in each region we operate builds on Teck’s long-standing commitment to biodiversity and reflects the passion of our employees for caring for the land where they live and work.”

Teck’s new conservation initiatives announced today protect 14,000 hectares and include:

  • C$2 million ($1.6 million) donation to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for the purchase and ongoing management of the nearly 8,000-ha Next Creek Watershed in the East Kootenays of British Columbia. Next Creek was the last remaining unprotected land within the Darkwoods Conservation Area and this purchase protects the ecological integrity of a conservation network that has national and international significance;
  • Donation to NCC of approximately 162 ha of Teck-owned land in the Wycliffe Wildlife Corridor, also known as the Luke Creek Conservation Corridor, near Kimberley, British Columbia, and further donation of C$600,000 for the ongoing management of the land;
  • Some 5,800 ha of a unique and high-value wetland ecosystem near Teck’s Quebrada Blanca Operations in Chile will be protected in partnership with the Ollagüe Quechua community, Teck says. Known as the Salar de Alconcha, or Alconcha Salt Flat, the lands are located northwest of the village of Ollagüe near the Bolivian border at 4,123 m above sea level. The initiative is the first of its kind in Chile;
  • An investment of C$10 million to create an Indigenous Stewardship Fund that will support Indigenous communities and partners in the development of Indigenous-focused environmental stewardship initiatives as well as engagement, education, capacity-building and participation in support of conservation objectives in regions where Teck operates; and
  • Some C$12 million in new funding to the NCC to support future high priority conservation projects in British Columbia, in addition to those announced today.

The conservation investments announced today build on Teck’s purchase of over 7,000 ha of private lands in the Elk and Flathead River Valleys of British Columbia, set aside for conservation. Teck’s purchase of these lands in 2013 was one of the single biggest private sector investments in land conservation in British Columbia history. In 2021, Teck and the Ktunaxa Nation announced the signing of a Joint Management Agreement to ensure the protection of the area’s social, cultural and ecological value.

“The World Economic Forum ranks biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as one of the top threats humanity will face this decade and global leaders, including the G7, are calling for the world to become both net zero and nature positive,” the company said.

“For Teck, working to become nature positive means that, by 2030, our conservation, protection and restoration of land and biodiversity will exceed the disturbance caused by our mining activities from a 2020 baseline.”

Canada launches MMAP project to evaluate natural resource genomic sequencing

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Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster has launched the Mining Microbiome Analysis Platform (MMAP) project, which, it says, is the largest investment in planned natural resource genomic sequencing in the history of the sector.

With breakthrough biomining solutions, the MMAP project will be the catalyst for sustainable mining practices on a global scale by replacing energy and chemical-intense resource extraction methods and improving mining site clean-up techniques, it says.

Led by Teck Resources, and in partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC), BGC Engineering, Koonkie Canada, Rio Tinto, Genome BC, Allonnia, Microsoft and the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), this consortium is creating the first integrated online platform to extract the DNA from more than 15,000 mining site samples over the next two years to identify microbes that can be used to replace chemical and other legacy extraction methods for minerals and metals, and to perform safer, more effective remediation of legacy and operational mine sites. UBC’s Bradshaw Research Initiative for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM), in particular, has played a formative role in bringing together the private industry partners, non-profit genomics and mining sector organisations, and academic researchers crucial to this unique partnership.

The combination of technology companies, researchers, and mining sector companies provides MMAP both the critical mass to develop viable solutions and a direct pathway to commercial adoption, it says.

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said: “As we transition towards our net-zero future, the mining sector can and will play a crucial role in our green recovery. We are proud to see Canadian mining leaders such as Teck Resources driving innovation and accelerating sustainable mining practices.

“Through Digital Technology Supercluster projects such as this one, we are creating well-paying jobs and breakthroughs in biomining that are important to Canada, and those advances will contribute to achieving environmental sustainability not just here but also on a global scale.”

Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck, added: “At Teck, we’re continually looking for the most effective ways to protect the environment while we produce the metals and minerals needed to build a better quality of life for people around the world. We’re pleased to partner on the MMAP project which stands to advance the mining industry’s collective commitment to responsible resource development.”

Mark Davies, Chief Technical Officer at Rio Tinto, said: “As an early mining user of the platform, we see the transformative potential for this microbiome-based technology to promote environmental stewardship and help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. By providing samples from our mines for genome sequencing, we are contributing to the potential development of breakthrough biological solutions to decarbonize the extraction and processing of metals and minerals, and to support the remediation of mine sites.”

This project is also supported by the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation as well as the Tahltan Central Government, and Illumina, a global genomics sequencing company. The Mining Microbiome Analysis Platform project has a total investment of C$16.6 million ($13.1 million) with C$12.6 million invested by industry and C$3.99 million co-invested through the Digital Supercluster’s Technology Leadership Program.

Sue Paish, CEO of the Digital Technology Supercluster, concluded: “Changing how the mining industry interacts with the natural world requires broad collaboration so that, together, we can create a more sustainable future. The Digital Supercluster is proud to see Canadian companies and organizations such as Teck, BGC Engineering, Koonkie Canada, Rio Tinto, UBC, Genome BC, Allonnia, Microsoft and the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation lead the way in cleaner natural resource extraction and more responsible site management.”

Teck and Oldendorff to employ energy-efficient bulk carriers for coal transport

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Teck Resources and Oldendorff Carriers have announced an agreement to employ energy-efficient bulk carriers for shipments of Teck steelmaking coal from the Port of Vancouver to international destinations, reducing CO2 emissions in the steelmaking coal supply chain, Teck says.

This initiative is expected to achieve a CO2 emissions reduction of 30-40% for shipments handled by Oldendorff, with estimated savings amounting to up to 45,000 t/y of CO2, equivalent to removing nearly 10,000 passenger vehicles from the road.

Oldendorff’s fleet of Eco bulk carriers achieve significant fuel savings, owing to their energy-saving design, fuel-efficient engines, maximised cargo size and utilisation of advanced voyage optimisation, Teck said. Oldendorff’s fleet of approximately 700 bulk carriers from Handy size to Cape size gives Teck shipping flexibility and reduced carbon intensity on each voyage, with the CO2 reductions representing Scope 1 emissions for Oldendorff and Scope 3 emissions for Teck.

“Partnering with Oldendorff to reduce the emissions associated with transportation of our steelmaking coal is one of the ways Teck is reducing our carbon footprint and taking action on climate change,” Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck, said. “As part of our climate strategy, we are committed to working with transportation providers to reduce emissions downstream of our business.”

Peter Twiss, CEO of Oldendorff Carriers, added: “Oldendorff Carriers is very pleased to collaborate with Teck on this effort to reduce CO2 emissions in the bulk supply chain. By working together with the Teck logistics team and challenging fundamental logistic concepts, we were able to develop an environmentally-optimised delivery program. Using our fleet of Eco bulk carriers in this re-envisioned delivery program, the CO2 emissions will be reduced significantly.”

Teck Resources’ Highland Valley operation to join the Copper Mark

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Teck Resources says it has committed to the Copper Mark, a voluntary assurance framework to promote responsible production practices and demonstrate the industry’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with its Highland Valley Copper Operations, in British Columbia, Canada, becoming its first copper operation to sign up to the framework.

“Copper is critical for the transition to a low-carbon economy and we have outlined near-term plans and future opportunities for significant copper production growth in the years ahead, and we are focused on being a responsible producer of this essential metal,” Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck, said. “Our participation in the Copper Mark is another way we’re enhancing transparency and ensuring customers have the information they need on our performance as a responsible copper producer.”

Michèle Brülhart, Executive Director of the Copper Mark, said: “Copper has a critical role to play in the green transition as a vital material in clean energy technologies. The Copper Mark sets out a framework to verify that copper producers operate responsibly while contributing to the development of the low-carbon economy.”

To achieve the Copper Mark, Teck’s Highland Valley Copper operations will be assessed and independently verified against 32 responsible production criteria this year. Teck currently plans for its Carmen de Andacollo operations in Chile and the QB2 project in Chile, which is expected to begin production in the second half of 2022, to begin the Copper Mark assurance process in 2023.

In August, the Copper Mark announced that two of KGHM Polska Miedź SA’s operations – Glogów and Legnica (both in Poland) – had also joined the framework.

Teck and AES shake on renewable power agreement for Carmen de Andacollo copper mine

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Teck Resources and The AES Corp’s Chile affiliates, Compañía Minera Teck Carmen de Andacollo SA (CdA) and AES Gener SA, have entered into a long-term power purchase agreement to provide 100% renewable power for Teck’s Carmen de Andacollo Operation in Chile.

Under the agreement, CdA will source 72 MW (550 GWh/y) from AES Gener’s growing renewable portfolio of wind, solar and hydroelectric energy.

The transition to renewable power will replace previous fossil fuel power sources and eliminate around 200,000 t/y of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent to removing over 40,000 passenger vehicles from the road, Teck says.

Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck, said: “Teck is tackling the global challenge of climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of our operations and working towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral. This agreement takes Teck a step closer to achieving our sustainability goals, while also ensuring a reliable, long-term clean power supply for CdA at a reduced cost to Teck.”

Andrés Gluski, AES Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer, said the company was honoured to continue working with Teck to help the miner progress towards its goal of carbon neutrality.

“By providing Teck with innovative renewable energy solutions, AES Gener is helping build Chile’s sustainable and reliable grid of the future,” Gluski said.

As part of its updated Sustainability Strategy, Teck has set the goal of being a carbon-neutral operator by 2050. In support of that long-term objective, Teck has established milestone goals including sourcing 100% of all power needs in Chile from renewable power by 2030 and reducing the carbon intensity of operations by 33% by 2030. Teck previously announced an agreement with AES Gener to supply renewable power for the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) project currently under construction. Once effective, more than 50% of QB2’s total operating power needs will be from renewable sources.

The Carmen de Andacollo renewable power arrangement is in effect as of September 1, 2020, and will run through to the end of 2031.

Alejandro Vásquez, Vice President, South America, Teck, said: “Switching to clean, renewable power for Carmen de Andacollo is another step forward in our ongoing commitment to responsible resource development across our operations and activities.”

Carmen de Andacollo is an open-pit copper mine located in the Coquimbo Region of central Chile, around 350 km north of Santiago. Teck owns a 90% interest in the mine, with Empresa Nacional de Minería holding the remaining 10%. It produced 54,000 t of copper in 2019.

Teck Resources intensifies carbon cutting strategies

Coal technology, Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining policy, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , ,

Teck Resources has announced a target to reduce its carbon intensity by 33% by 2030 as part of its new sustainability strategy and goals.

This news builds on Teck’s previously announced commitment to be carbon neutral across all its operations and activities by 2050. It also follows the company announcing it was withdrawing the regulatory application for the Frontier oil sands project in Alberta, Canada.

Don Lindsay, President and CEO, said: “At Teck, we are always challenging ourselves to improve sustainability performance, so we can be sure we are providing the mining products needed for a cleaner future in the most responsible way possible.

“We have set ambitious new goals for carbon reduction, water stewardship, health and safety, and other areas because we believe that a better world is made possible through better mining.”

Teck’s sustainability strategy has been updated with new long-term strategic priorities, supported by short-term milestone goals. Highlights include:

  • Be a carbon neutral operator by 2050;
  • Reduce the carbon intensity of its operations by 33% by 2030;
  • Procure 50% of electricity demands in Chile from clean energy by 2020 and 100% by 2030;
  • Accelerate the adoption of zero-emissions alternatives for transportation by displacing the equivalent of 1,000 internal combustion engine vehicles by 2025 (a topic IM heard much about at the recent SME MineXchange Annual Conference and Expo);
  • Transition to seawater or low-quality water sources for all operations in water-scarce regions by 2040;
  • Implement innovative water management and water treatment solutions to protect water quality downstream of all our operations;
  • Preferentially consider milling and tailings technologies that use less water for both new mines and any mine life extensions at existing mines;
  • Work towards disposing zero industrial waste by 2040;
  • By 2025, develop and implement a responsible producer program and “product passport” that is traceable through the value chain;
  • By 2025, all operating sites would have and implement plans to secure a net-positive impact on biodiversity;
  • Eliminate fatalities, serious injuries and occupational disease;
  • Increase the percentage of women working at Teck, including women in leadership positions, and advance inclusion and diversity initiatives across the company by 2025; and
  • Achieve greater representation of Indigenous Peoples across the business by 2025 by increasing employment and procurement through business development, capacity-building, education and training opportunities.

In releasing its 2019 Sustainability Report today, Teck showed it had reduced its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 297,000 t of CO2 equivalent since 2011. This is the equivalent of taking 90,500 cars off the road.

Teck renews carbon reduction goals with help of AES

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Teck Resources, AES Corp and their respective Chile-based affiliates, Compañía Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca SA and AES Gener SA, have entered into a long-term power purchase agreement for the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) copper project in Chile, which will enable the transition to renewable energy for around half the power required for the operation.

Under this arrangement, CMTQB will source 118 MW for Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 from AES Gener’s growing renewable portfolio of wind, solar and hydroelectric energy, in addition to the 21 MW of solar power already contracted from AES Gener. Once effective, more than 50% of QB2’s total operating power needs are expected to be from renewable sources, Teck said.

The transition to renewable power will replace QB2’s previous fossil fuel power sources, avoiding some 800,000 t/y of greenhouse gas emissions. “That is equivalent to the emissions of about 170,000 combustion engine passenger vehicles – equal to permanently parking more than half of all the cars in the City of Vancouver, or all the cars in the Tarapacá Region of Chile where QB2 is located,” Teck said.

The renewable power arrangement will come into effect as early as January 2022 and will run through October 2042. CMTQB’s other arrangements with AES Gener, totaling 122 MW of power, are not impacted, Teck said.

Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck, said: “Switching to renewable power for QB2 is part of Teck’s ongoing work to reduce emissions, achieve carbon neutrality across our business and support global action on climate change. This agreement secures reliable, long-term power for our major copper growth project at no additional cost, while helping to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Lindsay said the company would continue to explore further opportunities to increase the use of renewable energy as part of Teck’s ongoing focus on decarbonisation.

Andrés Gluski, President and CEO of AES, said: “We are proud to work with our customers in the transition to a low-carbon energy future. We have a long-term relationship with Teck and are happy to support their evolving energy needs.”

Ricardo Manuel Falú, AES Gener’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “At AES Gener, we are contributing to the mining sector’s goal of being more sustainable while supporting the decarbonisation of the Chilean energy matrix. With our Greentegra strategy and our Coal to Green solution, we enable our customers to become greener and more competitive by replacing coal-based energy sources with renewables.”

The $4.74 billion project is expected to produce 316,000 t/y of copper-equivalent for the first five full years at all-in sustaining costs of $1.38/Ib ($3,043/t). The initial mine life of 28 years uses less than 25% of the current reserve and resource, according to Teck and, based on a $3/Ib average copper price over the life of the mine, QB2 is expected to provide a net present value (8% discount) of $2.43 billion.

In addition to renewable power, QB2 will also feature the first large-scale use of desalinated seawater for mining in the Tarapacá Region of Chile, in place of freshwater use.

The QB2 announcement comes at the same time as Teck announced a goal of becoming carbon neutral across its operations and activities by 2050.

“This objective builds on Teck’s progress on climate action to date, including implementing projects and initiatives to reduce GHG emissions at its operations by 289,000 t since 2011 – the equivalent to taking over 88,000 combustion engine cars off the road – and 81% of Teck’s current total electricity consumption is from renewable energy sources.”

AES is also committed to reducing its carbon intensity by 50% by 2022 and 70% by 2030, compared with a 2016 baseline. Aligned with that goal, AES Gener is leading the decarbonisation efforts in Chile, with the largest amount of renewable energy capacity under construction in that country, according to Teck.

Teck examines solar power options with acquisition of SunMine energy facility in BC

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Teck Resources says it has purchased the SunMine solar energy facility in Kimberley, British Columbia, from the City of Kimberley.

SunMine, located on fully reclaimed land at Teck’s former Sullivan Mine site, is a 1.05 MW solar facility that has been operational since 2015. It is the first grid-connected solar facility in the province and the first built on a reclaimed mine site. It also has potential for future expansion, according to Teck.

Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck, said: “Our involvement with SunMine is part of our commitment to taking action on climate change, advancing renewable energy development, and supporting the global transition to a low-carbon economy.

“SunMine will help us gain first-hand experience with solar power generation as we advance the use of solar power at other operations.”

Teck has been involved with SunMine from its beginning, having provided the land and site infrastructure for development of the solar facility. Teck’s former Sullivan mine was a major producer of zinc, lead and silver, operating for nearly 100 years before closing in 2001, and close to 1,100 ha of the former mining area has since been reclaimed.

Development of SunMine aligns with Teck’s approach to working with stakeholders to develop post-mining land uses, from wildlife habitat to economic diversification, the company said.

Since 2011, Teck has implemented projects and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its operations by 289,000 t – the equivalent to taking over 88,000 combustion engine cars off the road, according to Teck – and 81% of Teck’s total electricity consumption is from renewable energy sources.

The sale amount is around C$2 million ($1.53 million), equal to the City of Kimberley’s outstanding debt obligation for SunMine, Teck said.