Tag Archives: mine power

Rio Tinto to bolster Diavik renewable power inputs with new solar plant

Diamond mining, Environmental, Mine operation news, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada will build the largest solar power plant across Canada’s territories, featuring over 6,600 solar panels that will generate approximately 4,200 MWh/y of carbon-free electricity for the mine.

The solar power plant will provide up to 25% of Diavik’s electricity during closure work that will run until 2029, with commercial production from the operation expected to end in early 2026.

The facility will be equipped with bi-facial panels which will not only generate energy from direct sunlight, but also from the light that reflects off the snow that covers Diavik for most of the year. It will cut diesel consumption at the site by approximately one million liters per year and reduce emissions by 2,900 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is comparable to eliminating the emissions of 630 cars.

President and Chief Operating Officer of the Diavik Diamond Mine, Angela Bigg, said: “I am delighted that we will be significantly increasing our renewable power generation with the largest solar power plant in Canada’s northern territories at the Diavik Diamond Mine. Through its wind-diesel hybrid power facility, Diavik is already a leader in cold climate renewable technology and this important project reinforces our dedication to reducing our carbon footprint. I would like to thank both the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada for their support to deploy this project.”

The solar power plant will significantly expand Diavik’s renewable energy generation, which already features a wind-diesel hybrid power facility that has a capacity of 55.4 MW and provides the site’s electricity.

The project is supported by C$3.3 million ($2.5 million) in funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant program, and C$600,000 from the Government of Canada’s Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.

Government of the Northwest Territories Finance Minister, Caroline Wawzonek, said: “The Diavik solar power plant is a welcome sign of Rio Tinto’s commitment to renewable energy and reducing emissions. The Government of the Northwest Territories is pleased to have provided support through the Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant program, one of the original pieces of our made-in-the-NWT approach to the federal carbon tax. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to facilitating sustainable development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories and should be a signal of how our economic development can continue to position us as leaders in these spaces.”

Diavik is working with the Government of the Northwest Territories and community partners to determine how its renewable energy infrastructure can best benefit the region following closure.

Rio Tinto is progressing decarbonisation initiatives across its global operations, with the aim of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and to achieve net zero across its operations by 2050.

Construction will start in coming weeks and the solar power plant will be fully operational in the first half of 2024.

The Diavik mine is Canada’s largest diamond producer and produces 3.5-4.5 Mct/y of rough diamonds. Since mining began in 2003, Diavik has produced over 100 Mct of diamonds. Commercial production is expected to end in the March quarter of 2026.

JUWI’s renewable rollout in South Africa continues with Sibanye-Stillwater deployment

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

JUWI Renewable Energies, a leading global solar, wind and hybrid project developer, EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and operations and maintenance company, has announced that it has 400 MW of EPC projects in advanced stages of development for mines in South Africa.

The news follows the financial close of the 89 MW Castle Wind project by the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) Consortium for Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations, a project initially developed by JUWI for the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers’ Programme (REI4P). The AIIM Consortium included African Clean Energy Developments as developer and Reatile as investment partner.

“We’re seeing a wave of formal requests for renewable energy projects from South African mines, largely driven by the energy crisis, commercial considerations and decarbonisation targets,” Richard Doyle, Managing Director, JUWI SA, said.

“The right regulation has been needed to translate this demand into actual projects for mines. The amendments to the licence-exemption threshold and ability to wheel electricity are now allowing us to pivot projects initially developed for REI4P, such as the Castle Wind project, into the private sector, making them a reality. This is a significant milestone for our team of experts who work tirelessly to advance the renewable energy transition in Africa.”

Wheeling is the act of transporting electricity from a generator to a remotely located end-user through the grid. With most large mines and energy users in South Africa lacking land for large-scale wind and solar projects, the ability to wheel electricity is essential for self generation, according to JUWI.

Chris Bellingham, Head of Project Development, JUWI, explained: “The ability to wheel power through the network combined with the far lower electricity tariffs of solar and wind projects, incentivises mines to either remotely generate their own electricity or purchase it from remote independent power producers, thereby sourcing generation from sites where the resource is stronger. This is a real win for mines, allowing them to save costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and when used in combination with backup technologies, avoid load shedding.”

Sumeet Ramandh, the project’s Development Manager, said  JUWI initiated the Castle Wind project in 2011 and, although there were extensive delays with the government’s procurement process, it remained dedicated to transforming the site into a notable renewable energy asset for South Africa.

“With the recent regulatory improvements, JUWI took the decision to sell the project to the AIIM Consortium, which secured an Eskom agreement to wheel energy from the wind farm to power Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations,” he said.

At the start of the year, JUWI reported that it had 4 GW of renewable energy projects in various stages of development across Africa, with another 1 GW to be initiated in 2023. The company also recently signed an EPC agreement with Pan African Resources to construct a 8.75 MW solar plant for the its Fairview mine.

VoltVision moves to Phase 2 of digitising Endeavour’s West African gold mine power networks

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

VoltVision, a UK-based specialist in digitised industrial power networks, says it has completed the first phase of a program to digitise the power networks at Endeavour Mining’s six West African gold mines.

The project has been designed to help maximise the efficiency of Endeavour’s electrical power systems, enabling it to improve power quality, increase uptime and reduce CO2 emissions, while lowering energy consumption and operating costs, VoltVision said.

Endeavour has identified significant power efficiency gains and cost savings as the project has been rolled out. VoltVision has progressed to Phase 2 of the roll-out, which is focusing on condition monitoring, failure prevention and further power reduction analysis.

Back In May 2022, VoltVision announced that the first phase of a pioneering energy efficiency and operational enhancement project at Endeavour Mining’s Houndé Mine in Burkina Faso had been completed.

VoltVision says its V-Cube data modules represent the only commercially available electrical data analytics system in the mining industry able to be both installed, operated and managed remotely, requiring no site visits from Voltvision personnel.

Manoli Yannaghas, VoltVision Managing Director, said: “Because our technology is plug-and-play, Phase 1 was installed successfully by Endeavour’s own engineers, without any site visits from us or disruption to production. It also proved its suitability for remote and hostile environments.”

VoltVision’s digitisation program works by retrofitting its V-Cube data modules to virtually any electrical asset, connecting them to the cloud and VoltVision’s ViVid platform. The V-Cube extracts detailed system and/or asset performance data 24/7, which is then stored in the cloud, reducing the cost of in-situ historians databases, the company says. Its advanced analytical capabilities convert this data into actionable information for use by management teams, which is available through dashboards and alerts.

VoltVision’s ViVid platform

Yannaghas added: “Digitising industrial power networks, including high voltage, can deliver immediate savings of up to 15% of annual static energy costs, plus a host of benefits including greater reliability and lower carbon emissions.

“Our solution converts previously stranded assets into actively monitored elements of a cloud-based IoT system capable of analysing massive amounts of data with minimal infrastructure investment. This gives users unprecedented visibility of power consumption, quality, emissions and costs, so they can make intelligence-based management decisions.”

Nevada Gold Mines kicks off construction of 200 MWAC TS Solar Facility

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Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) says it is building a 200 MWAC (Megawatt, alternating current) photovoltaic solar facility to accelerate its decarbonisation program in line with Barrick’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap.

NGM, majority owned and operated by Barrick Gold Corporation, hosted a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony this week, marking the commencement of construction of its TS Solar Facility. The facility is adjacent to NGM’s TS Power Plant near Dunphy, Nevada.

The solar array will be constructed in a single phase with commercial production expected in the June quarter of 2024.

NGM is partnering with three Nevada-based contractors to complete the civil, solar substation and mechanical construction. Domestically-sourced steel piles are arriving on site in preparation for module foundation construction and tracker installation. At peak, the project is expected to employ approximately 250 people.

NGM Executive Managing Director, Peter Richardson, said: “At NGM, we embed the principles of partnership and sustainability into every decision we make. We continually seek opportunities to source materials and labour as close to our projects as possible. The TS Solar Facility is a great example of how we can partner with local resources on a project that not only benefits the environment, but also provides sustainable long-term social and economic benefits.”

Upon completion, the project will supply renewable energy to NGM’s operations and realise 254,000 t of CO2-equivalent emissions reduction per year, according to NGM. This will result in an 8% emission reduction from the company’s 2018 baseline.

NGM has committed to a 20% carbon reduction by 2025, which will be achieved through the TS Solar facility and the modification of NGM’s TS Power Plant, providing the ability to use cleaner burning natural gas as a fuel source.

Barrick is targeting an overall 30% reduction in emissions by 2030 with the goal of achieving net-zero by 2050.

Nordic Iron Ore engages Hitachi Energy for Blötberget power solution

Mineral project development, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

Nordic Iron Ore AB has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Hitachi Energy for a service to secure necessary electrical power to its Blötberget iron ore project in Sweden.

By securing stable supply of electricity to the mine, the company takes an important step in resuming sustainable mining of iron ore in Blötberget and being able to deliver green concentrated iron ore to steel production, it said.

Nordic Iron Ore is evaluating different possibilities to secure the supply of electricity to Blötberget where the company has all the necessary grants to resume mining activity and extract iron ore. An important part of power supply is the power station.

The LoI will see the companies initiate exclusive negotiations regarding a solution called Electrification as a Service for the 50/12 kV system that reliable mining operations in Blötberget require. The arrangement would also include an option for a battery storage solution which would stabilise power output from the station.

Ronne Hamerslag, CEO of Nordic Iron Ore, said: “It is very satisfying that we together with Hitachi Energy can proceed and develop concrete plans and a new business model that make it possible for us to buy Electrification as a Service without the need for a capital intensive investment. This solution would reduce the business’s capital need and not only reduce our financial risk but also the installation and operational risks.”

Nordic Iron Ore was formed in 2008 with the main aims of resuming mining operations in Blötberget and Håksberg and conducting exploration of the expansion potential of the Väsman field, together forming the Ludvika Mines, in southern Dalarna.

First Quantum and AES sign renewable energy deal for Cobre Panama

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

First Quantum Minerals’ majority-owned Cobre Panama operation has signed a long-term contract with AES Panama for the supply of renewable energy, starting in January 2024.

The agreement establishes that the energy supplied by the electricity generation company to the copper mine will be certified renewable energy from solar, wind and hydroelectric sources.

The CEO of First Quantum Minerals, Tristan Pascall (right), and the President of AES Panama, Miguel Bolinaga, gathered to sign the contract (pictured).

“As a responsible mining company, we recognise our obligation to contribute to the management and mitigation of climate change and part of our contribution is through a transition to clean energy sources in our operations, including Cobre Panamá,” Pascall said.

“The global need to accelerate the transition to the use of cleaner energy will require an increase in the production of minerals and metals, such as copper, used in solar panels, wind farms and electric vehicles. This agreement for the energy transition of our operations is also a logical step to increase the sustainability of our production.”

Miguel Bolinaga, President of AES Panama (left), said: “One of the main goals of AES at a global and local level is to lead the energy transition, which is why for us offering cleaner energy solutions to our clients is a priority.”

The Operations Superintendent of the Panama Copper Power Plant, Boris Batista, said the agreement with AES would cover the plant’s need for more power, and that all this additional power – 64 kW – would come from renewable energy sources.

Other steps would follow in the process of reducing carbon emissions at Cobre Panama. By 2025, 30% of the energy used in Cobre Panama’s operations is expected to come from renewable sources. For its part, the First Quantum Minerals group plans to reduce its carbon emissions in its global operations by 50% by 2030.

Rio Tinto to start construction on 100 MW solar PV system in Pilbara next year

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Rio Tinto says it is planning to invest a further $600 million in renewable energy assets in the Pilbara as part of the company’s efforts to decarbonise its Western Australian iron ore operations.

The investment will fund the construction of two 100 MW solar power facilities as well as 200 MWh of on-grid battery storage in the Pilbara by 2026. This is in addition to the 34 MW of solar power installed at the recently commissioned Gudai-Darri iron ore mine (pictured).

Initial funding for Rio Tinto’s first major standalone solar farm on the Pilbara coast has been approved, a 100 MW solar photovoltaic system and associated transmission infrastructure. Construction, which will involve the installation of approximately 225,000 solar panels built to withstand the Pilbara’s cyclonic conditions, is expected to start next year ahead of project commissioning in 2025.

Rio Tinto is engaging with state and local authorities as well as Traditional Owners about the project and relevant approvals. Final capital approval is expected in the June quarter of next year.

These new projects combined are expected to abate around 300,000 t of CO2, equivalent to a 10% reduction in total Scope 1 and 2 emissions from Rio Tinto’s iron ore business in the Pilbara based on 2021 levels. It will also reduce gas costs by approximately $55 million per year at current prices by displacing around 30% of the company’s current gas consumption in the Pilbara.

This new investment forms part of Rio Tinto’s previously announced plan to complete installation of a 1 GW renewable energy system in the Pilbara as part of a global commitment to invest approximately $7.5 billion to halve emissions by 2030. This will include significant investment in transmission infrastructure to support full decarbonisation of the Pilbara including electrification of mobile and rail equipment beyond 2030 which is estimated to require up to 3 GW of installed renewable energy assets.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive, Simon Trott, said: “The Pilbara is extremely well-positioned to take advantage of renewable power with land, access to people, and abundant wind and solar resources. Our Pilbara electricity grid is the largest privately-owned grid in Australia, ensuring that we have the initial infrastructure required to enable a transition to renewable energy.

“We expect to invest around $3 billion to install renewable energy assets as well as transmission and storage upgrades in the Pilbara as part of our commitment to halve our emissions from the Pilbara by the end of this decade.”

Anglo American to remove steelmaking coal business Scope 2 emissions with Stanwell Corp pact

Coal technology, Environmental, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

Anglo American says it has sourced the supply of 100% renewable electricity for its operations in Australia from 2025, agreeing terms for a 10-year partnership with Stanwell Corporation, the
Queensland Government-owned provider of electricity and energy solutions.

The deal will effectively remove all Scope 2 emissions from Anglo American’s steelmaking coal business in Australia from 2025, supporting Anglo American’s progress towards carbon-neutral operations by 2040, it said.

Dan van der Westhuizen, CEO of Anglo American in Australia, said: “Sourcing 100% renewables supply from Stanwell Corporation, linked to two major wind and solar projects in Queensland, is
a big step towards our target of carbon-neutral operations in Australia – and globally – by 2040. We are committed to playing our part to help combat climate change, including accelerating a number of technologies to abate our on-site emissions, from electrifying our truck fleet and other mobile equipment to capturing the methane from our steelmaking coal seams.

“I am delighted that we are able to support Stanwell Corporation in its investment in 650 MW of renewables capacity for Queensland. Today’s deal brings significant environmental benefits
and is net present value-positive compared with our current energy mix, while underwriting a large investment in renewable energy generation for Queensland.”

Anik Michaud, Anglo American’s Group Director of Corporate Relations and Sustainable Impact, said: “Combined with the agreements we already have in place for all our South America operations, from 2025 we expect to be drawing 60% of our global electricity requirements from renewable sources, transforming our Scope 2 emissions profile. We are committed to producing the metals and minerals that we need to mitigate the extent of global warming in the most responsible and sustainable way.”

The partnership between Anglo American and Stanwell underwrites investment in the two major Queensland renewable energy projects – Clarke Creek Wind Farm in Central Queensland and
Blue Grass Solar Farm near Chinchilla, Anglo American says.

Centamin’s Sukari solar power plant performing ahead of expectations

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Centamin says the solar plant at its Sukari gold mine, in Egypt, has entered the final stages of commissioning and is delivering savings ahead of expectations.

Furthermore, it says continued progress has been made to assess the opportunity to use Egyptian grid power at Sukari.

The solar plant, which is made up of a 36 MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery–energy storage system, has been consistently delivering 36 MW DC, converting to 30 MW AC of power, since early September, the company said. This reduction in exposure to volatile fuel pricing with commissioning is saving the company up to 70,000 litres per day of diesel and averaging a reduction in diesel consumption of 22 million litres per year, according to Centamin.

Based on current diesel prices, this means the plant has the potential to provide annual cost savings of $20 million, alongside an expected reduction in Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 60,000 t/y CO2 equivalent and a subsequent reduction in volume of diesel trucked to site.

Full commissioning of the solar plant is expected this quarter, the company added.

Centamin previously awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the 36 MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery–energy storage system at Sukari to juwi AG and Giza Systems. juwi was contracted to design, supply and integrate the Sukari solar and battery plant into the current diesel power plant, while Giza Systems was contracted to install the Sukari solar plant. To maximise the total energy generation, the project is using bifacial solar photovoltaic modules and single axis tracking. juwi Hybrid IQ microgrid technology will enable the integration of the solar and battery system into the existing off–grid network and support the operation of the existing power station, according to the company.

On top of the solar plant news, Centamin revealed it is actively engaged with government and independent power providers to further reduce its reliance on diesel at Sukari. Its initial proposals to supply 30–50 MW AC of grid power to Sukari have been received and an internal evaluation is underway for potential integration from 2024, it said.

Fifty megawatts of AC grid power supply creates the potential to fully displace the use of diesel for power generation at Sukari, Centamin said. The minimum 30 MW AC of grid power, combined with the existing 30 MW AC of solar power, creates the potential to operate during daylight hours without using any diesel power generation and substantially offsetting diesel consumption during night time hours, it said.

The Egyptian grid power is generated from natural gas and a mix of renewables, such as hydro, solar and wind, creating the opportunity to further reduce Sukari’s GHG emissions. Further, the Egyptian industrial grid tariffs are significantly cheaper than the cost of power
generation using diesel fuel, Centamin said.

Martin Horgan, CEO of Centamin, said: “Delivery of this critical project is instrumental to our ongoing commitment to reduce our reliance on diesel fuel, minimise greenhouse gas emissions and realising material cost savings. The solar plant and potential to integrate grid power will contribute materially to our environmental stewardship philosophy and our strategic objective of maximising returns for all stakeholders.”

Evolution Mining taps AGL Energy Ltd for new power supply at Cowal

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Evolution Mining Limited says it has secured a competitive, long-term power supply agreement for its Cowal gold operation, in New South Wales, Australia, under a new eight year partnership with AGL Energy Limited, commencing in January 2023.

Power costs represent approximately 7% of Evolution’s total costs. This agreement provides ongoing long-term security of power supply to Cowal at competitive pricing which is consistent with Evolution’s previously reported financial year 2023 guidance and financial year 2024 outlook, it said.

This long-term agreement also includes a renewable energy component.

Under the terms of the partnership with AGL, a growing portion of the power will be from renewable sources and provides Evolution a clear pathway to meeting its commitment to reduce energy (Scope 1 and Scope 2) emissions by 30% by 2030, the miner said.

Evolution’s Executive Chair, Jake Klein, said: “This is a very important milestone for Evolution. In a very challenging energy market, we have been able to secure both a long-term, competitively priced power contract for Cowal and a growing renewable component that provides us a clear pathway to reducing our energy emissions by 30% by 2030.

“We will continue to look for new ways to further reduce emissions from our fixed plant and mobile equipment to deliver on our net-zero commitment by 2050.”

AGL General Manager, Commercial and Industrial Customers, Ryan Warburton, said: “AGL has been working with Evolution Mining for a tailored solution for their Cowal Gold Mine to help lower their energy costs, provide ongoing long-term security of power supply and assist in reducing their carbon emissions.

“From leading food, agri-business and now to gold mines, AGL is working with our customers to develop bespoke renewable energy solutions to meet their changing needs. This announcement with Evolution Mining is another great example of how AGL is partnering with industry to help them reduce their carbon emissions and lower their energy costs. Through innovative partnerships like this, we are delivering on a low-carbon future with our customers and communities as we transition towards net zero.”

The Cowal mine produced 227,105 oz of gold in Evolution’s 2022 financial year. The company has a plan to expand production to 350,000 oz/y as the mine goes underground.