Tag Archives: Freeport McMoRan

ICMM names Antofagasta’s Arriagada as new Chair

Environmental, Mining industry recognition, Mining people, Mining policy, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

ICMM has today announced Iván Arriagada, CEO of Antofagasta PLC, as its new Chair, succeeding Richard Adkerson, Chairman and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan.

ICMM is governed by its council which comprises the CEOs of 26 company members. The Chair is appointed from within this group and serves in the position for approximately two years.

The Chair leads council in driving ICMM’s overall purpose of leadership through collaboration to enhance the contribution of mining and metals to sustainable development, towards a vision of a safe, just and sustainable world enabled by responsibly produced minerals and metals, the ICMM explained.

Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO of ICMM, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Iván as our new Chair. Iván and I are united in fulfilling ICMM’s commitment to produce the metals and minerals that are critical to the energy transition and sustainable development as responsibly as possible.

“I would like to thank Richard for his leadership and valuable contribution to ICMM and our wider industry. His tenure has seen the achievement of significant milestones including our landmark climate change commitment. I look forward to continuing this journey with the benefit of Iván’s vast industry experience.”

Arriagada added: “In the eight years that Antofagasta has been a member of ICMM, I have experienced the value of being part of this leadership group that takes decisive collective action on the most important issues facing our industry. I am looking forward to working with Rohitesh and my fellow council members to continually strengthen our social and environmental performance and contribution to society.”

GMG updates influential comminution circuit energy efficiency guideline

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

The Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) has brought together a project group of global subject matter experts to publish an updated version of the ‘Determining the Bond Efficiency of Industrial Grinding Circuits’ guideline.

The guideline describes the Bond method for quantifying and comparing the relative energy efficiency of most industrial comminution circuits. It’s also an effective teaching tool that can be used by junior engineers looking to understand how to apply this method, according to GMG.

This minor revision of the guideline originally published in 2016 contains additional context and clarification, GMG said.

“The Bond Work Index, published by Fred Bond in 1952, was a revolutionary theory that helped mining engineers measure rock hardness and its resistance to being crushed,” GMG said. “The harder the rock, the more energy it takes to crush it, the higher the mine’s energy bills.”

Rob McIvor, Chief Metallurgist at Metcom Technologies, said: “By relating power consumption in crushing and grinding to the feed and product size distribution, the Bond Work Index and Bond Work Index Efficiency are widely accepted throughout industry as the standard benchmarking tool essential for the design, improvement and management of comminution circuits. Metcom Technologies has continuously promoted and trained others in Bond’s methods as a required element for process improvement of mineral comminution circuits.”

Leonard Hill, Director of Metallurgy and Strategic Planning Technical Services, Freeport-McMoRan, agreed with this assessment, saying: “As we move towards defining and reducing the cost of carbon in our industry, understanding and optimising energy usage at mining operations has become a high priority. ‘Determining the Bond Efficiency of Industrial Grinding Circuits’ is a practical GMG guideline that can be used by operators and designers to evaluate the energy usage efficiency of comminution circuits. It provides a step-by-step method for collecting samples, analysing data and calculating the Bond Work Index efficiency ratio of a circuit for benchmarking and identifying process improvement opportunities.”

McIvor added: “The numerous contributions of comminution experts from around the globe has led to this rigorously vetted guide for the determination of Bond efficiency in industrial grinding circuits.”

Andrew Scott, GMG Vice-Chair Working Groups, and National Cluster Development Manager, METS Ignited, said: “GMG’s goal when facilitating these collaborative opportunities is to end up with a product that helps drive the industry forward. Our member mining companies and subject matter experts from within the mining community asked us to provide a neutral, collaborative space where they could update the previous guideline and ultimately publish a timely and educational product.”

Photo credit: Grindingsolutions.com

Charge On Innovation Challenge sparks more miner interest

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The organisers of the Charge On Innovation Challenge have reported an overwhelming response to the preliminary phase, which closed on July 31, with 21 mining companies joining as patrons, over 350 companies from across 19 industries registering their interest as vendors, and more than 80 organisations submitting expressions of interest (EOI).

The challenge, a global competition, is expected to drive technology innovators across all industries to develop new concepts and solutions for large-scale haul truck electrification systems aimed at significantly cutting emissions from surface mining. It also aims to demonstrate an emerging market for charging solutions in mining, accelerate commercialisation of solutions and integrate innovations from other industries into the mining sector.

BHP, Rio Tinto, and Vale, facilitated by Austmine, launched the Charge On Innovation Challenge in May of this year, initiating the EOI process on May 18. Since the initial launch, Roy Hill, Teck, Boliden, Thiess, Antofagasta Minerals, Codelco, Freeport McMoRan, Gold Fields and Yancoal came forward as patrons by early July.

The latest release has highlighted another nine miners to join as patrons. This includes Barrick Gold, CITIC Pacific Mining, Evolution Mining, Harmony Gold, Mineral Resources Ltd, Newcrest Mining, OZ Minerals, South32 and Syncrude.

The patrons, supported by Austmine, will assess the proposals over the next month and select a shortlist of vendors who will then formally pitch their challenge solutions.

At least one of these proposals has come from ABB, which confirmed earlier this month that it had submitted its ideas for the challenge using its mine electrification, traction and battery system eand charging infrastructure expertise.

At the end of the pitch phase, the challenge patrons will look to select the most desirable charging concepts identified as having broad industry appeal and application, as well as providing a standard geometry that enables chargers to service trucks from different manufacturers. The first concepts could be ready for site trials in the next few years, according to the organisers.

BHP’s Charge On Innovation Challenge Project Lead, Scott Davis, said: “The Charge On Innovation Challenge is a great example of the current collaborative work being done by the mining industry in seeking solutions to decarbonise mining fleets. The challenge received interest from companies based in over 20 countries, showing the truly global reach of the opportunity to help reduce haul truck emissions.”

John Mulcahy, Rio Tinto’s lead for the Charge On Innovation Challenge, said: “Twenty-one mining companies, all focused on lowering carbon emissions, have joined as patrons. Together we’re encouraging technology innovators to help us introduce large-scale haul truck electrification solutions. The sooner we bring these technologies to market, the sooner we can introduce them to our fleet, and reduce emissions.”

Vale’s Charge On Innovation Challenge Project lead, Mauricio Duarte, said: “We are very happy with the results of the first phase of the project. It´s still early to talk about the success of the challenge, but it is clear that the industry has reached a new level: we worked together on a common sustainability agenda and we will work collectively to reach our goals, gaining safety and speed on our way to low carbon mining.”

Another six mining operations apply for ‘The Copper Mark’

Base metals, Environmental, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Copper Mark, the assurance framework to promote responsible practices and demonstrate the copper industry’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has added six new participating sites to its pending list of mining operations to have achieved its Assurance Process.

Five of the six operations are US mines majority owned by Freeport-McMoRan, namely Bagdad, Chino, Tyrone, Safford (pictured, the Lone Star project) and Sierrita. The sixth is Compañía Minera Condestable SA in Peru, owned by Southern Peaks Mining.

These sites are now beginning the process of assessment based on the Copper Mark’s Assurance Process, The Copper Mark said, adding that the total number of participating sites is set to grow to 23 with these new additions.

To receive the Copper Mark, copper producers must be assessed independently against a comprehensive set of environmental, social and governance criteria on a site-by-site basis. The Copper Mark was originally founded and developed by the International Copper Association, in conjunction with various stakeholders including financial institutions, commodities exchanges, non-governmental organisations, original equipment manufacturers and copper fabricators. The Copper Mark now is an independent entity and builds on the advice of its multi-stakeholder advisory council.

The Copper Mark also added two new fabricator partners to its list of industry partners, with Nexans and Halcor both joining as partner organisations that use or rely on copper in their businesses and have made a public commitment to the Copper Mark’s vision and objectives of promoting responsible copper production.

Michèle Brülhart, Executive Director of the Copper Mark, said: “We are delighted to secure new partners in Nexans and Halcor, both of which recognise the vital importance of the sustainable production of copper, both for the local communities within which the copper industry operates and for the wider green transition.

“The addition of six new participating sites from our long-standing partner Freeport-McMoRan and our new participant Southern Peaks Mining will enable us to build further on the momentum and progress made by the Copper Mark last year in working to embed responsible production practices within the copper industry.”

Kathleen Quirk, President and Chief Financial Officer of Freeport-McMoRan, said: “We are proudly committed to the Copper Mark. Responsible production is central to Freeport’s strategy of being foremost in the global copper industry. The Copper Mark helps to demonstrate our responsible production practices to all of our stakeholders. Copper plays an essential role in the technologies necessary to develop and deliver clean energy. As one of the world’s largest copper producers, we understand we play a critical role in the global energy transition, and we are dedicated to supplying the global economy with responsibly produced copper.”

Adolfo Vera, President of Southern Peaks Mining, said: “We are very proud to be part of the Copper Mark, as it emphasises our commitment to modern mining, relying on innovation, striving for social and environmental responsibility, and focused on the sustainable development of the industry for the benefit of our country. We believe that the Copper Mark is the new standard for world-class mining and would be thrilled to see more Peruvian companies adopting this standard. At SPM, we work hard in following a path to becoming a mining company recognised by our high standards. A mining company that generates an excess of well-being while aiming to cause little to no negative impact to the world.”

Freeport-McMoRan and BHP Ventures jump aboard the Jetti Resources tech train

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Jetti Resources’ plan to rapidly rollout its breakthrough copper extraction technology has been given a boost with the announcement of $50 million in funding from the likes of Mitsubishi Corp, Freeport-McMoRan, BHP Ventures, Orion Resource Partners, and funds and accounts advised by T Rowe Price Associates Inc.

The Series C funding round was led by existing strategic investor, Mitsubishi Corporation, and included new investment from the other firms mentioned.

“Mitsubishi, an existing strategic shareholder of Jetti, has further deepened its involvement as an investor as part of a shared vision for transforming the copper industry,” Jetti said. “Mitsubishi’s extensive networks both upstream with copper mines and downstream with end users of copper are invaluable as Jetti enters the rapid growth phase of its development.”

Since the completion of its Series B capital raise in 2019, Jetti says it has commercially proven the effectiveness of its technology at Capstone Mining’s Pinto Valley Mine in Arizona. During the first year of Capstone’s partnership with Jetti, cathode production per area irrigated doubled, and discussions to expand this partnership are ongoing.

In addition, Jetti has significantly strengthened its Board and management team to support the next phase of its development, bringing on Chip Goodyear, the former CEO of BHP, and Trevor Reid, the former long-standing CFO of Xstrata PLC.

Jetti has a pipeline of 23 projects at various stages, including five active pilots and three opportunities transitioning to commercial status.

Following the close of its $50 million Series C financing, Jetti will have raised more than $100 million for the development and deployment of its technology.

Mike Outwin, CEO and Co-Founder of Jetti Resources, said: “Jetti’s financing round has been backed by two of the world’s largest copper mining companies, a leading global copper trader and mine owner, and a premier institutional investment fund and mining private equity group. These industry leaders recognise the potential for Jetti’s environmentally friendly technology to unlock vast untapped copper resources within their portfolios.”

Outwin said the funds raised will enable Jetti to further deploy its technology across large-scale copper mining operations.

“We look forward to working with all investors to accelerate the adoption of Jetti’s technology and deliver much needed ‘green copper’ to meet the world’s needs for a low-carbon electrified future,” he added.

Norikazu Tanaka, Group CEO, Mineral Resources Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, said: “Mitsubishi recognised the revolutionary nature of Jetti’s technology in 2019, and since then the team has not only proven its efficacy at scale but prudently identified a range of opportunities for its adoption at existing mines.

“They are naturally now expanding to create the critical mass required for the next stage of growth to meet the requirements of a low carbon global economy. We are thrilled to deepen our strategic partnership with Jetti through our increased investment and by leveraging Mitsubishi’s extensive networks both upstream with copper mines and downstream with end users of copper. We believe this partnership can make a significant contribution to more efficient development, conservation, and supply stability of the world’s limited copper resources.”

Josh Olmsted, Freeport-McMoRan’s President and Chief Operating Officer-Americas, said: “We are pleased to partner with Jetti, as we pursue technologies to improve copper production from leach stockpiles, reduce our carbon footprint, and supply responsibly produced copper to a global market with increasing demand. Freeport’s assets are well situated to test this technology, and we look forward to advancing opportunities to deploy the technology where appropriate at our operating locations.”

Laura Tyler, Chief Technical Officer, BHP said: “Jetti’s technology has the potential to unlock new copper production safely, productively and responsibly. To support renewable technologies and decarbonisation goals in limiting global warming to 1.5°C we expect global copper demand could double over the next 30 years, compared to the past 30 years.

Through our BHP Ventures team, we are delighted to invest in and partner with Jetti and help create opportunities for its innovative technology to progress a greener future.”

Jetti’s patented catalytic technology is designed to allow for the efficient and effective heap and stockpile leach extraction of copper. The company’s technology bolts onto existing solvent extraction/electrowinning leaching plants so it can be deployed rapidly with limited capital expenditure and, because it uses no heating or grinding, it has low operational costs. In addition, there are huge environmental benefits from using leaching over pyrometallurgy, according to Jetti.

ICMM appoints Rohitesh Dhawan as new Chief Executive Officer

Environmental, Mining people, Mining safety, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has announced the appointment of Rohitesh Dhawan as Chief Executive Officer, following a competitive global selection process, to succeed Tom Butler, who will step down on April 6, 2021.

Dhawan is a sustainability specialist with significant experience in the resources sector. His most recent role was as Managing Director and Head of the EMEA region at Eurasia Group, a geopolitical research and analysis firm, where he led the climate change and sustainability practice. Prior to this, Dhawan’s roles included Global Head of Sustainability for the Mining Sector and Global Strategy Director at KPMG International. He currently serves on the expert panel on climate change for the UK government’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions Programme (PACT).

Richard Adkerson, ICMM Chair and Chairman and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan, said: “I am pleased to welcome Rohitesh as CEO of ICMM. He brings a deep commitment to sustainable development, and strong on-the-ground experience. His extensive knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing our industry will be invaluable as we work together to address some of the biggest issues facing our sector, and advancing important initiatives that reflect our collective commitment to continuous performance improvement.

“I would also like to recognise Tom’s outstanding contribution to ICMM over the last six years, and on behalf of the council, I would like to thank him for his leadership and commitment. I am looking forward to working with Rohitesh to build on the strong foundation that Tom leaves behind.”

On his appointment, Dhawan said: “I am excited to be joining ICMM in arguably the most important decade for the industry. The foundations of a net zero emissions economy are being laid now, and minerals are critical to it. But many environmental, social and governance challenges remain unresolved, and I can think of no better vehicle than ICMM to convene the necessary solutions. I’m delighted to be in service of an industry that touches all our lives, and to join an organisation that is united in the goal of achieving the highest possible standards of sustainability.”

Tom Butler, CEO of ICMM said: “It has been an immense privilege to lead ICMM. During my tenure we have tackled some key challenges, but much remains to be done. I am pleased to be handing the reins over to such a strong leader for the next phase. I want to take this opportunity to thank our members and everyone in the ICMM team for their sterling support over the last six years.”

ColdBlock and Nucomat partner to automate mineral sampling prep process

Automation, Base metals, Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral exploration, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Two technology companies that take laboratory efficiency and workplace safety to a new level have pooled their expertise to help automate one of the more labour intensive and risky elements involved in the mineral sampling process.

The combination of the ColdBlock Digestion 3rd Generation Product Line and Nucomat’s Compact Sample Preparation Unit will enable an automated process of “raw sample in, analysis-ready sample out at unprecedented speed and level of operator safety” for labs dealing with mineral samples, according to Nick Kuryluk, CEO of ColdBlock Technologies.

Ahead of a CEMI-hosted webinar to discuss the combination, IM put some questions to Kuryluk and Michael Van de Steene, Software Team Lead at Nucomat.

IM: Since unveiling the ColdBlock Digestion solution back in 2015 at the annual PDAC Convention, what has happened to the technology in terms of speeding up the sampling process for mining companies? I think back then, you were claiming the technology delivered fast digestion rates of between 10 and 15 minutes. Have you managed to speed this up even more?

NK: Since 2015 when we unveiled the technology at PDAC, we have focused on developing a solid evidence generation package that validated the performance of the technology in both the academic setting and the real-world setting through mining organisations and commercial laboratories.

The performance parameters that were validated include 1) high return on investment (ROI), 2) elevated workplace safety, and 3) high analytical accuracy and precision.

  • 1) The Amira Global P1196 project included SGS, Freeport McMoRan, New Gold, Centerra Gold and Newcrest. This project demonstrated that ColdBlock delivers similar analytical measurements to fire assay for gold determination and similar analytical measurements to hotblock for base metal determination (ie copper and iron determination). However, it was further validated that the ColdBlock process can be performed in minutes compared to hours and the cost savings were substantial (average of 50% cost savings vs fire assay for gold application);
  • 2) In regard to workplace safety, we eliminated the use of lead for gold determination (commonly used in fire assay) and, thus, eliminated potential lead contamination for workers and lead waste. For base metal applications, we reduced the use of hydrofluoric acid and perchloric acid in the digestion process, both of which are harmful reagents; and
  • 3) We have now published several papers. The body of work consistently demonstrates the high accuracy and precision in the recovery of elements in both mining and environmental samples. In 2019, the Geological Survey of Canada presented their work comparing ColdBlock to both microwave and hotblock for environmental applications (soils and sludges). It was demonstrated that ColdBlock improved precision from 12.9-1.3% with a 60% time saving.
The ColdBlock Digestion mechanism

The speed of our digestion system remains the same, however, it is unmatched when compared to conventional methods. We can digest sample materials for gold analysis in minutes compared to hours with fire assay. We can also digest sample materials for base metal analysis in minutes compared to hours with hotblock.

IM: Is Nucomat competing in the same sample preparation field as ColdBlock? Where do the two companies’ solutions overlap?

MVdS: Nucomat and ColdBlock Technologies manufacture complementary technologies that will take laboratory efficiency and workplace safety to a higher level.

NK: ColdBlock delivers solutions in optimising laboratory efficiency, productivity and safety:

  • Sample digestion system based on focused short-wave infrared radiation and a cooling zone;
  • Consumables and accessories;
  • Ancillary product solutions; and
  • Laboratory services in method development.

MVdS: Nucomat provides lab automation solutions for sample preparation, handling and testing for quality control laboratories. Our systems aim to control the sample preparation burden for 24/7 applications. These automated systems offer unique advantages compared to manual sample preparation, such as:

  • Operator safety;
  • Traceability and repeatability;
  • Gravimetric accuracy;
  • Validated results; and
  • Web-based remote control.

NK: Together, ColdBlock and Nucomat have joined forces to deliver a powerful solution offering a substantial ROI, elevated workplace safety and throughput while achieving high analytical accuracy and precision.

IM: How will this tie-up between the companies work? Will Nucomat be providing the automation solution for ColdBlock’s technology? How does this relate to the Amira Global P1196A project and delivering the ColdBlock 3rd Generation Product Line?

NK: This collaboration will deliver the integration of the ColdBlock Digestion 3rd Generation Product Line with Nucomat’s Compact Sample Preparation Unit (pictured below in a three reagent configuration). The combined technologies will provide an automated system capable of rapid acid dispensing and digestion. An optional making up to mass feature is also being considered. When combined, these features will enable a process of raw sample in, analysis-ready sample out at unprecedented speed and level of operator safety.

The details of the commercial framework are in progress. The integrated product line will first be offered through the Amira Global Project P1196A initiative. This will be delivered in Q2 (June quarter) 2021. The commercially available product will also be delivered through direct sales and a channel distribution model, which is targeted for Q3 (September quarter) 2021.

IM: What is the end goal of the collaboration?

NK: The end goal of the collaboration is to deliver a powerful solution to today’s challenges of sample preparation and to meet the current needs of the laboratory environment.

The aim is also to address a segment of small and mid-size laboratories that are looking for automated solutions but cannot justify the risk and ROI on a large full-scale automation system.

We aim to deliver:

  • High ROI, including high efficiency/productivity;
  • Elevated workplace safety; and
  • High analytical accuracy and precision.

IM: Is the agreement a reflection of the need to provide more environmentally sensitive sample digestion technologies that are automated to the mining and metals industry? Will the collaboration speed up the development of such a solution?

NK: The agreement is a reflection of both ColdBlock and Nucomat working together to respond to the current needs of the laboratory environment and to deliver a powerful and sustainable laboratory solution.

ColdBlock and Nucomat deliver solutions that are already proven in the marketplace. As such, this collaboration will speed up the development and commercialisation of the integrated solution.

With respect to gold application as an alternative to fire assay, we eliminate the need to use lead as part of the digestion process. So compared to fire assay, we eliminate lead waste and we eliminate lead contamination to workers.

IM: Where in the mining and metals space do you see the most demand or opportunities for deploying such a solution? Do you already have a trial lined up for the solution?

NK: The applications of our technologies are in the following spaces:

  • Mining and minerals applications such as precious metals (namely gold), base metals (such as copper, zinc, iron and nickel) and rare earth elements;
  • Metals and alloys;
  • Environmental; and
  • Other industry applications.

ColdBlock and Nucomat are working together with Amira Global to recruit participants for the Amira Global P1196A project that will see the delivery of ColdBlock’s third-generation product line with Nucomat’s automation solution. This includes both mining organisations and commercial laboratories.

Participating prospects currently come from Canada, USA, South America and Australia.

ColdBlock Technologies and Nucomat will be taking part in a CEMI-hosted webinar titled, ‘The Integration of ColdBlock Digestion with The NUCOMAT Automation System’ on December 2.

New innovations help Freeport Americas cut GHG emissions

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Successful innovations in mining, processing and reporting saw Freeport-McMoRan’s Americas division significantly outperform greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in 2019, the company has reported in its annual sustainability publication.

On an absolute basis, the division’s total GHG emissions for this part of the business remained stable at 4.8 Mt, which was 30% lower than the company’s “Business As Usual” projections, while, on an intensity basis, Americas’ performance improved significantly with carbon intensity per metric tonne of copper produced decreasing by 18% versus 2012 levels and coming in 30% lower than Business as Usual.

The company said, in 2019, the Americas division undertook a significant effort to analyse its GHG emissions in the Americas back to 2012.

This work enabled it to identify “levers” for change in the future and reaffirmed its approach to asset optimisation and processing innovation.

Over the last decade, the division, which includes assets such as Morenci and Cerro Verde, has developed and implemented industry leading technologies for leaching of oxide ores, implemented step change crushing technologies that reduce energy demand by over 30% per tonne of milled material and developed a new, highly efficient process for leaching sulphide concentrates that replaces traditional smelting and refining, it said.

“We also have implemented an asset management strategy where we rebuild engines, frames and truck beds, resulting in the reuse of approximately 70% of a typical haul truck,” it added.

The latter’s net result is over $1 billion in capital avoidance, and an estimated GHG emissions avoidance of 325 t of CO2 equivalent per truck, or more than 150,000 t in the last decade, the company said. This is based on the rebuild of 465 haul trucks that the company has carried out with Caterpillar dealer Empire Cat.

“In addition, the gradual decarbonisation of country-level energy grids, combined with specific power purchase contract terms for renewables, allows us to maintain our focus on lowering operating costs while reducing the amount of GHGs emitted per metric tonne of product,” Freeport said.

Between 2012-2016, ore grades at the company’s Americas operations decreased, requiring more ore to be both moved and processed to produce the same amount of copper. This resulted in emissions climbing during the period.

However, the company took the following actions which countered its increasing emissions trend.

In 2014-2016, it installed new highly efficient milling technology (high pressure grinding roll technology) at Morenci and at Cerro Verde, which enabled significant improvements in absolute emissions intensity as well as significant production gains at both sites, it said.

From 2014 through to 2019, the company also saw a significant decrease in the carbon intensity of its electricity consumption due to Peru and Arizona grid decarbonisation trends.

In 2018, meanwhile, advances in information allowed the company to switch to a “market-based approach” for a significant portion of its delivered electricity, enabling Freeport to reflect actual emissions versus estimates calculated using the standard published grid factors provided by regulators.

Looking forward, the company said it expected to achieve similar success as it did in the last decade at its Americas operations.

“We have set a corporate target to achieve an additional 15% reduction in carbon emissions per metric tonne of copper produced in the Americas by 2030, using a 2018 baseline,” it said.

“Over the next several years, the company will be focused on recovery from COVID-19 impacts by maintaining safe and financially viable operations as well as supporting the economic recovery of the communities where we operate.

“As business conditions allow, we will look for opportunities to invest in innovative mining and processing technologies as a means of working towards our 2030 emissions reduction goal, as well as to further develop our climate change strategy.”

In total, Freeport saw its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (combined) drop from 10.1 Mt of GHG emissions in 2015 to just over 8 Mt in 2019, the report showed.

Global tailings standards likely to ‘raise industry up’, SME delegates hear

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The keynote session at the 2020 SME MineXchange Conference and Expo, in Phoenix, Arizona, acted as a display of just how far the industry has come in the battle to improve transparency and shore up environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices in the face of increased scrutiny over the security and safety of tailings dam facilities.

All speakers involved in the keynote session – representing Freeport McMoRan, The Mosaic Company, Newmont and CONSOL Energy – gave a rundown of how many tailings dam facilities they had on their books, how the operation of these dams had changed since recent high profile failures and what they were doing to improve further.

Yet, with the International Council in Mining & Metals (ICMM) nearing the release of its well-documented Global Tailings Review, the session also highlighted how the industry is wary of trying to apply all-encompassing tailings legislation.

Nancy Case, VP, Environment, Health & Safety for The Mosaic Company, revealed that the company has eight active dams, alongside five inactive dams in Brazil and, in New Mexico, it had five tailings management facilities (TMFs).

Since the Corrego do Feijão mine dam collapse just over a year ago, Case said the company had brought in fully-independent engineering firms that had never worked on any of the dams to evaluate the structures and monitoring procedures in place. In Brazil, the company had also amended its operations to fall in line with new regulations.

This process led to several dams being taken out of operation – with additional buttressing and full centreline work carried out where necessary.

Red Conger, President and COO of Americas for Freeport McMoRan, said tailings management was a big challenge the company acknowledged many decades ago.

He spoke about how the company was using technology such as wireless piezometers to monitor tailings dam levels at its operations. At the Bagdad mine, in Arizona, specifically, the company is also using a satellite radar system for monitoring purposes.

Daniel Connell, VP Business Development & Technology, took the technology talk one step further, explaining the company, in partnership with OMNIS Bailey, was working on an innovative technology to convert waste coal slurry into two products: a high-quality carbon product to be used as fuel or as a feedstock for other higher-value applications; and a mineral matter product with potential to be used as a soil amendment in agricultural applications.

The company has, so far, constructed a 2 t/h pilot plant at its Pennsylvania Mining Complex (PMC), and Connell said the company is looking to scale this up to a commercial installation that could not only reduce the amount of tailings the company stores at the facility, but also, potentially, process existing tails.

Out of the four mining company representatives on stage, Newmont declared the most TMFs – 89 in total. Dean Gehring, EVP & CTO, was keen to point out that the gold miner took a “process safety approach” to handling these facilities.

Newmont, as has been well documented, is looking into tailings stacking solutions as well as EcoTails with FLSmidth to reduce its exposure to wet tailings dam facilities.

All representatives agreed technology developments in this space should be treated like those developed to improve safety – where proprietary technology arguments are put on the backburner to help the industry advance.

After each mining company representative had been given a chance to provide some context as to why they were up on stage about to be asked the tricky tailings questions everyone in the industry wanted to know, the moderator’s questions started.

What it revealed, even among just four companies, was the different ways miners operate and manage tailings dams.

Each company had operations in different countries, with different cultures and with different geotechnical requirements.

CONSOL’s Connell, in response to a question about would the company look to decommission any ‘upstream dams’ in its portfolio – constructions that have faced increased scrutiny since the dam failure in Brazil in January – said the coal miner had no intention of stopping these. “We intend for that to be our practice going forward,” he said referring to the dam in question at the PMC.

Mosaic’s Case, meanwhile, said the company had gone as far as taking one tailings dam out of service since the Bruamidinho collapse last year, with decommissioning lined up.

Case was the first one to answer the question on applying a global tailings standard across the industry, explaining it would be very difficult to “enforce” this – most probably because of the differing operating practices seen across the industry.

“There are a lot of differing opinions on those standards,” she said. Depending on the region in question, applying certain standards could impact competitiveness, she offered up as one example of these varied opinions.

This may have been one of the reasons why Freeport’s Conger said the company was supportive of having a global tailings standard, but would withhold judgement on if the miner would follow all recommendations until the detail had come out.

Gehring, meanwhile, compared the new standards to what the gold sector had seen with the cyanide code years ago. “It will take some time to work through,” he said, referring to this example.

What was clear from this session is that any company that follows the guidelines likely to come out of the ICMM’s Global Tailings Review is likely to be considered a leader within the sector. This comes with benefits.

Case said: “Where I do see it (the standards) becoming really beneficial is allowing companies to show they are at the forefront of this.”

This is likely to have a positive impact on the way investors and insurers view such companies, she explained.

“I think it is really going to raise the industry up.”