Tag Archives: mine power

Zenith Energy and Independence celebrate solar start up at Nova

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Operations at Independence Group’s Nova nickel-copper-cobalt operation in the Fraser Range of Australia are now being powered by a mix of diesel and solar energy after the on-site hybrid solar PV-diesel facility started up.

Zenith Energy’s wholly owned subsidiary, Zenith Pacific, built the plant. The ASX-listed power company also owns and operates the facility, which, it said, is already exceeding performance targets for power output and energy efficiency.

The two signed a contract back in 2018, amending an existing power purchase agreement.

Within the 26.6 MW facility is 5.5 MW of state-of-the-art photovoltaic (PV) modules, single axis tracking, inverters and communications and control system technology, according to Zenith Energy’s Managing Director, Hamish Moffat. The system also features high-efficiency diesel-fuelled generators that combine with this control system to optimise solar and diesel power delivery.

Moffat said: “The proprietary hybrid system developed by the company is able to seamlessly manage the fluctuations in solar PV energy production to provide smooth, reliable power, without the need for batteries to stabilise energy delivery to Nova.”

He explained that batteries have their place in energy systems but are still expensive to deploy for these applications.

“Our unique, locally developed hybrid system eliminates the need for batteries and represents a major step forward in the capital cost optimisation, operating efficiency and environmental performance of solar PV hybrid energy systems in remote locations,” he added.

According to Moffat, the system is saving Nova in the order of 6,500 litres of diesel a day, and it is the first hybrid solar PV-diesel installation to have been funded on a commercial, standalone basis – without any government subsidies.

IGO’s Chief Operating Officer, Matt Dusci, said: “At IGO we are striving to reduce our carbon footprint. The implementation of new technologies with the construction of a hybrid‐solar system at Nova will enable IGO to reduce our CO2-equivalent emissions by approximately 6,500 t per annum. The solar facility will also decrease our cost structure through reductions in our diesel fuel usage.”

As part of an agreement between the two companies, Zenith will supply power from the solar PV‐diesel hybrid system for an initial six‐year period, with an option for Independence to extend for a further two years.

Nova is expected to produce 6,750-7,500 t of nickel concentrate in the year ending June 30, 2020, alongside 2,750-3,125 t of copper concentrate and 213-238 t of cobalt concentrate, according to the miner’s September quarter results.

Barrick Pueblo Viejo natural gas plant about to power up

Mine operation news, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Barrick Gold says the Pueblo Viejo power plant is expected to receive its first natural gas in the March quarter as it looks to lower greenhouse gas emissions and cut costs, in line with the group’s clean and efficient energy strategy.

Pueblo Viejo entered into a 10-year supply agreement with AES Andrés DR, SA, in May 2018, for the provision of natural gas and the construction of a gas pipeline from the AES gas terminal to the Quisqueya I power plant for the mine. This is also expected to benefit the San Pedro region which has not previously had access to this cleaner alternative fuel, the company said.

Owned 60% by Barrick and 40% by Newmont Goldcorp, Pueblo Viejo is expected to produce 550,000-600,000 oz of gold in 2019 at all-in sustaining costs of $610-650/oz.

Barrick President and Chief Executive, Mark Bristow, says, since the commissioning of the Quisqueya I power plant, in 2013, Pueblo Viejo has looked for ways to reduce the impact of its air emissions on the environment and the cost of energy production.

“The conversion of Quisqueya I to natural gas will help reduce Pueblo Viejo’s power generation costs by some 30%. Greenhouse gases will also be cut by 30% and nitrogen oxide by 85%, and the mine’s dependence on oil will be significantly decreased,” he said.

The gas pipeline is facilitating the conversion of other power plants in the region to translate into further reduction in greenhouse emissions and significant savings in energy costs within the Dominican national grid, according to Barrick. Recently other power producers in the area have announced the conversion into natural gas of an additional 525 MW, it said.

Barrick said: “Pueblo Viejo is also contributing to the Dominican electricity sector with the construction of the Bonao III power substation as part of a public/private alliance with the Dominican Transmission Entity and Empresa Generadora de Electricidad Haina (EGE Haina) which owns the power plant Quisqueya 2 located next to Quisqueya I. The substation is expected to help to provide more stability to the country’s national grid. Finalisation is scheduled for mid-next year.”

Bristow noted: “The conversion agreement, the natural gas pipeline and the Bonao III substation represent a step forward, not only for Pueblo Viejo but for the Dominicans, as it shows not just environmental benefits, but also a significant reduction of the country’s electricity cost, less dependency on crude oil and more stability for the national power grid.”

Newcrest and Chevron Australia sign natural gas agreement

Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

Newcrest Mining has signed a domestic gas sale agreement with Chevron Australia that will see the energy company deliver domestic gas from its portfolio across the Wheatstone (pictured), Gorgon and North West Shelf facilities, in Australia.

Some 16 PJ of equity domestic gas will be delivered over the 3.5-year agreement, which will begin soon and end in July 2023, according to Chevron.

Chevron Australia Managing Director, Al Williams, said: “Chevron is a leading and growing domestic gas supplier to Australia and we’re proud to deliver new natural gas supply to Western Australian industries, businesses and households.”

He added: “As a reliable and cost-effective way to generate electricity, natural gas is a vital energy source for current and future energy needs, powering local jobs, industry and communities.”

At full capacity, the Chevron-operated Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas facilities will produce 500 TJ/d of domestic gas for the Western Australia market – enough to generate electricity for 4.3 million households, according to the company.

As a key and growing participant in the evolving Western Australian market, Chevron is actively marketing domestic gas under long and shorter-term arrangements.

First Wärtsilä Modular Block destined for Resolute’s Syama gold mine

Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Wärtsilä has announced the first order of its innovative new Wärtsilä Modular Block solution for power generation to Aggreko, with four Wärtsilä Modular Block enclosures – with one medium-speed Wärtsilä 32 engine in each – to provide 40 MW of energy to Resolute Mining’s Syama gold mine, in Mali.

The Modular Block order was placed by Aggreko in November 2019 and the contract is the first one signed under the cooperation agreement between Wärtsilä and Aggreko, announced in June.

The pre-fabricated, modular, and expandable enclosures feature medium-speed Wärtsilä 32 and 34 family engines, can run on a variety of fuels and can operate as a re-deployable power generation solution, according to Wärtsilä. “The Wärtsilä Modular Block solution can be installed in a matter of weeks, and can be expanded to accommodate increased energy needs. Similarly, it can be dismantled and relocated to alternative locations as and when required, making it highly suited to temporary power generation,” Wärtsilä said.

Resolute announced last month that it was partnering with Aggreko on this power solution, saying that the thermal element of the project was expected to be implemented in partnership with Wärtsilä using its new Modular Block technology and design.

“The Wärtsilä Modular Block solution will replace the existing diesel generators currently powering the mine,” the company said, adding that the high efficiency of the engines should result in “substantial monthly savings” in fuel costs.

It added: “Fast-starting and load following capabilities will facilitate the integration of renewables into the mine’s energy system. The mine will be powered by a reliable, flexible and affordable solution, which will help to enhance the mine’s environmental impact.”

Three Wärtsilä Modular Blocks, providing a total of 30 MW of power will be installed next to the existing power station in 2020. The fourth 10 MW Modular Block will be installed in 2022, with an option to add a fifth 10 MW unit to the power plant.

Stephane Le Corre, Strategy and Development Director at Aggreko, said: “The Wärtsilä Modular Block supports our technology investment strategy and, when included as part of a hybrid solution, has enabled us to offer Resolute an extremely cost-effective solution for 16 years.”

Jean Nabb, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Wärtsilä Energy Business, said: “The Wärtsilä Modular Block solution opens up exciting new opportunities, both for permanent and rental electricity generation. We are delighted to be partnering with Aggreko in this rapidly growing market, and this first order is encouraging for the future success of our cooperation.”

Under the agreement between Aggreko and Wärtsilä, Wärtsilä will provide the technology and design for the core power generation equipment, with Aggreko incorporating Wärtsilä’s Modular Block enclosure and power generation within its Rental/Power Solutions sales offering.

Plug Power on the charge for world’s largest hydrogen-powered mining truck

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

Plug Power Inc is to provide a custom refuelling system for the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck, set to begin operating next year as part of a project between Anglo American and ENGIE.

Plug Power, a leading provider of hydrogen engines and fuelling solutions enabling e-mobility, was selected by ENGIE following the signing of a global partnership agreement between the two announced in September.

ENGIE is working with Anglo American to develop a renewable hydrogen production and refuelling solution to support a new hydrogen-powered haul truck that, according to Anglo, will have ‘first motion’ next year, followed by a testing and validation program at the Mogalakwena platinum group metals mine (pictured. Credit: Anglo American), in South Africa. After this point, the trucks are expected to be deployed at other Anglo American operations. All of this is part of the miner’s FutureSmart Mining program.

To support the refuelling project, Plug Power has been tasked with building a full compression, storage, and dispensing system to service the new hydrogen-powered vehicle. Plug Power’s system will be the first of its kind, and the largest refuelling system built by the company to-date, with an expected output of 1,000 kg/d, it said.

Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power, said: “The incredible scope of this project reaffirms not only Plug Power’s commitment to facilitating the global adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy source, but also our position as the world leader in hydrogen refuelling.

“Our partnership with ENGIE is opening the door to exciting new opportunities outside of both the US, and the material handling market, where we have continuously demonstrated our expertise.”

Caterpillar and Finning use predictive analytics to keep Gahcho Kué powered up

Diamond mining, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Power supply for mines, , , , , , ,

A remote asset monitoring service supplied by Caterpillar and Finning has been keeping De Beers Group’s Gahcho Kué diamond mine, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, powered up over the last few years, Cat reports.

Gahcho Kué lies a mere two degrees below the Arctic Circle and, because of its location, the mine is completely off the grid and self-reliant, with employees flying in and out of the operation.

The mine, which produces roughly 4.5 Mct/y, uses five C175-16 generators to power and heat the entire mine and, with temperatures regularly falling below -40°C during the winter, losing power even for a short time could be devastating, for people and production.

Terri Lewis, Technology and Solutions Manager for Electric Power, said: “We’ve spent over 90 years of engineering know-how, and hands-on experience from some of the most challenging projects to provide our customers with the best products and services today.

“For remote locations like mines, it is a requirement that they have power because there is no access to the grid.”

To tackle this challenge, Caterpillar teamed up with Finning Cat and De Beers Group to leverage Electric Power’s Remote Asset Monitoring – a digital service to help proactively identify repair and maintenance needs for the generator sets.

Caterpillar teams based in Mossville, USA, monitor the generator sets remotely and use predictive analytics to identify issues before they occur. When an issue is detected, the Caterpillar team utilises automated alerts and notifications to contact the Finning technicians living on-site at the mine who can then proactively complete repairs before there is a significant impact on operations, it says.

James Morrison, Performance Solutions Leader at Finning Cat, said: “Early identification of product opportunities ensures we have the right technicians and parts before anything goes wrong.”

In the three years Gahcho Kué has been in operation, the Caterpillar and Finning teams have successfully detected, diagnosed and safely solved multiple issues all through early detection using predictive analytics.

The company said: “If left unaddressed or the issue persists, the total cost of downtime, parts and labour can easily add up to millions of dollars.

“Early detection, along with swift action, is vital to helping to ensure the mine is up and running, keeping the plus-300 people who live and work there safe and, just as important, warm.”

BHP to rollout light electric vehicle trials to iron ore, nickel in WA

Base metals, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Speaking at the Resources Technology Showcase, in Perth, Western Australia (WA), this week, BHP’s Chief Transformation Officer, Jonathan Price, said from the trial of light electric vehicles at its Olympic Dam mine, in South Australia, had come back with positive results and it would soon expand testing to its iron ore and nickel businesses in WA.

“The Olympic Dam trial is providing us with valuable data and information to understand how we may continue to electrify different forms of transportation, and material movement in our operations,” he told delegates.

“Early results indicate significantly reduced maintenance time, and very positive operator feedback on the vehicle – not only are they smooth to drive, they’re quiet – and with no diesel exhaust and dramatically reduced greenhouse gas emissions.”

BHP worked with Adelaide-based Voltra on the light electric vehicle trial at Olympic Dam, with the technology company developing a 100% electric drive LandCruiser 79 Series (pictured) to be put through its paces in full underground fleet operation.

Still on the theme of decarbonisation, last month, BHP announced four new renewable power agreements at its Escondida and Spence operations, in Chile. The contracts will displace 3 Mt/y of CO2 from 2022, compared with the fossil fuel based contracts they are replacing, according to Price.

He said the company was also “exploring options to do something similar” in Australia.

Price added: “BHP is currently in the market for innovative power solutions for our Eastern Australia Mineral Assets. We have received a positive response from the market, consulting over 40 different parties.”

He said the company expected to make a decision on this in the first half of 2020.

And, on the subject of Integrated Remote Operations Centres (IROC), which BHP has used to expand its use of automation and digitalisation, Price said the company is looking to expand its reach again.

“We launched our very first IROC here in Western Australia back in 2013,” he said. “Three years later we took the lessons learnt from this and built an IROC in Brisbane, overseeing our east coast coal operations.

“Now we have a centre operational in Santiago and have one planned in South Australia,” he said.

Gold Fields Agnew hybrid power project starts up

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Global distributed energy producer EDL has switched on its 23 MW power station, which integrates photovoltaic solar with gas and diesel generation, to power Gold Fields’ Agnew gold mine, in Western Australia.

This switch-on completes the first stage of one of Australia’s largest hybrid renewable micro-grid projects, according to EDL.

EDL CEO, James Harman, said: “With this project, EDL and Gold Fields are leading the way towards clean, renewable energy to power remote, off-grid mining operations without compromising reliability or power quality.”

Gold Fields Executive Vice President: Australasia, Stuart Mathews, said: “The power station we are officially opening today integrates 4 MW solar generation from our new solar farm and is underpinned by 19 MW of gas and diesel generation. It will soon include other renewable energy technologies coming online in the next stage of the project.”

He referred to the importance of the A$112 million ($76 million) project to both Gold Fields and the broader industry: “This is a significant milestone for both the Agnew gold mine and the broader Gold Fields Group, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to strengthening our energy security, optimising energy costs and reducing our carbon footprint through the adoption of new technologies. We are hopeful that this will also enable other companies to consider the options for decarbonising their operations.”

The second stage of the project, which includes 18 MW wind generation, a 13 MW battery and an advanced micro-grid control system, is currently under construction and due to be completed in mid-2020.

It has the backing of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency with a recoupable A$13.5 million contribution to the construction cost of the project.

Once completed, the Agnew Hybrid Renewable project will be the first to use wind generation as part of a large hybrid micro-grid in the Australian mining sector. It will have a total installed generation capacity of 54 MW, with renewables providing over 50% of the Agnew gold mine’s power requirements, with the potential to increase this further by adopting innovative operational practices such as the dynamic load shedding, renewables forecasting and load control management.

As part of the EDL remit, juwi Renewable Energy, the Australia subsidiary of international project developer juwi, delivered a 4 MW Single Axis Tracking PV installation together with cloud forecasting and an advanced micro-grid control system to enable integration with the mine off-grid network.

Siemens and juwi push forward with microgrids for mining systems

Environmental, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , , , , ,

Siemens and renewable energy developer juwi have joined forces to enter into a strategic technology partnership to focus on microgrids for the mining industry.

An agreement, signed this week, will see the two companies aim to roll-out and continually develop the advanced microgrid control system that enables the seamless integration of power from renewable energy to a mine’s off-grid power supply, they said.

The Siemens Sicam based microgrid control platform, a proven and tested technology Siemens says, is the basis for juwi´s Hybrid IQ microgrid controller. juwi, meanwhile, brings industry-specific domain knowhow and a track record of planning and executing renewable energy projects at mine sites.

Juwi says: “The solution adapts to changing orebodies, processing and power requirements whilst providing detailed reporting and analysis to operations teams and management. Together, the strategic partners create a unique, standardised solution for the mining market.”

This will simplify the use of renewable energy for mines and help provide a cost-effective and reliable power supply, especially for mine sites that operate off the grid, according to the companies.

Robert Klaffus (left), CEO Digital Grid at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, said: “Microgrids can bring high levels of reliability and improved energy quality to energy-intensive industries such as mining; and are an attractive alternative when autonomous power supply is needed.

“We are looking forward to the technology cooperation with juwi on microgrids and believe it will boost the commercial appeal of renewable energy to the mining industry.”

Stephan Hansen (right), a Board Member and COO of the juwi Group, added: “Renewable energy will not only future-proof mining operations, but reduce cash operating costs today. The centrepiece to this is the juwi Hybrid IQ system. It enables us to provide hybrid power that goes far beyond what has been industry practice until now.”

The co-operation between juwi and Siemens has already resulted in the successful delivery of the solar power plant at Gold Fields’ Agnew gold mine in Australia, the companies said. A renewable and low-carbon energy project at the mine is being developed by global energy group EDL. juwi is working with EDL to deliver 4 MW Single Axis Tracking PV installation together with cloud forecasting and an advanced microgrid control system to enable integration with the mine off-grid network at Agnew.

The partnership has also provided hybrid power to Australia’s largest and oldest marine research station on the Great Barrier Reef of Queensland. Heron Island now uses juwi Hybrid IQ to combine solar with a redox flow battery to replace diesel fuel.

“Both projects showcase the next generation of hybrid systems and enable mine sites to significantly lower their carbon footprint and their cash operating costs,” they said.

Nordgold looks to the sun for Bouly, Bissa mine power

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Nord Gold has entered into an exclusive agreement with Total Eren, an independent power producer (IPP) specialised in renewable energies, and Africa Energy Management Platform (AEMP), its strategic development partner, to construct a 13 MW solar photovoltaic power plant for its Bissa and Bouly gold mines in Burkina Faso.

Construction of the power plant will begin shortly, with completion expected in the December quarter of 2020, Nordgold said.

“The new Solar PV will provide Bissa and Bouly with power for both mines’ daily operational needs, thereby significantly reducing reliance on the existing thermal power plant,” the company said. “In addition to significantly enhancing the environmental sustainability of the mines, the solar plant will increase security of supply, and reduce costs at both mines.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Total Eren and AEMP will develop, finance, construct and operate a solar PV plant complemented by a battery energy storage system, reducing the mine’s fuel consumption by approximately 6.4 million litres and CO2 emission by approximately 18,000 t/y, the company said.

This type of project is not new to Total Eren. The company, in tandem with other partners, previously started up a 15 MWp solar power plant for IAMGOLD’s Essakane mine in Burkina Faso, in 2017 (pictured).

Nordgold’s Bissa gold mine was launched in January 2013 followed by, in September 2016, the Bouly mine.

The new solar PV plant will also create a number of full-time roles for local employees in addition to over a thousand currently employed at the mine sites, according to the company.

Nikolai Zelenski, Chief Executive Officer of Nordgold, said: “By building this new solar power plant, not only will we improve the efficiency of our mines by creating a more secure power supply at lower cost, but we are also helping to make our Burkina Faso mines far more sustainable, while minimising our carbon footprint.

“We already have in place a number of important environmental initiatives aimed at protecting biodiversity around our mines. The installation of a solar power plant at Bissa and Bouly, Nordgold’s key assets in terms of production, is in line with our strategy of implementing the best environmental standards across our operations”.