Tag Archives: renewables

OZ Minerals to trial hybrid energy solution at Carapateena as part of renewables project

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OZ Minerals says it has launched the Energy and Mining Collaboration (EMC) in an initial collaboration with six other organisations to investigate renewable energy and demand management related activities on a mine site.

The six other organisations are Adelaide University, CSIRO, the Department of Energy and Mining, the Rocky Mountain Institute, SunSHIFT and the Tonsley Innovation Precinct.

The first project as part of this program will be a trial installation of a circa-250 kW hybrid energy solution facility including solar, wind and a battery in the first half of 2020, located at OZ Minerals’ Carrapateena mine site in an area demarcated for piloting and prototyping. Carrapateena, in South Australia, is on track for first concentrate production in the December quarter, after which the project will ramp up to full production over the following 18 months. Carapateena is expected to produce an average of 65,000 t/y of copper and 67,000 oz/y of gold over a 20-year mine life.

The trial installation will have approximately 250 kW hybrid energy solution consisting of solar, wind, battery storage, connected to existing diesel generators, and have a Smart Grid controller for data access and tracking.

The EMC brings these organisations together into a collaboration platform with a view to developing and identifying renewable energy opportunities for an international showcase that optimises electrical and fuel demand and the integration of renewable energy systems, OZ said.

“This will be done via the creation of true partnerships around the testing of energy and technology hypotheses to unlock transformational value in mining,” the company added.

“Over the next six months, the parties, as the founding collaborators, are committed to formalising the partnerships from this collaboration, inviting in other first partnership collaborators and creating a broad and global membership of all those who would like to participate.”

Wärtsilä provides more engine technology applications with Modular Block

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Wärtsilä says its newly launched Modular Block is a reliable and efficient solution for sustainable power generation, with fast delivery and installation.

The power plant solution is a pre-fabricated, modularly configured, and expandable enclosure for Wärtsilä medium-speed 34SG gas engine generators. Aside from the gas engine generator, the Wärtsilä Modular Block concept’s enclosure incorporates engine-specific auxiliary units, enabling a reduction in on-site installation time from “several months to a few weeks”, depending on the full scope of supply, Wärtsilä said.

“The concept thus makes Wärtsilä’s advanced medium-speed engine technology available for applications where it would not otherwise be viable with a conventional custom designed permanent building,” the company said, while adding that medium-speed engine technology has inherently higher efficiency and lower lifecycle costs than containerised high-speed engines or gas turbine solutions.

Wärtsilä says it can offer the Wärtsilä Modular Block as a full engineering, procurement and construction project, with the solution expandable to accommodate increased energy demand and to respond to fast-growing customer business needs. The concept also enables dismantling and relocation, meaning it offers new business models, such as power as a service or rentals.

On top of this, the Wärtsilä Modular Block is easy to integrate with renewable energy and storage systems, according to the company. “It is ideal for providing grid stability and balancing when integrating renewable energy sources with intermittent production.”

The flexibility of the concept enables timely expansion with minimal front-end investments, or relocation to accommodate changing power generating requirements, Wärtsilä said.

“This, combined with the high efficiency of the power generation asset, the minimised on-site installation time, and its configurability with external systems, makes the Wärtsilä Modular Block an excellent solution for many power generation enterprises,” the company said. “It can be a perfect fit for industrial customers or utilities, and for independent power producers associated with them.”

Antti Kämi, Vice President, Engine Power Plants, Wärtsilä Energy Business, said the Wärtsilä Modular Block takes the company’s experience and know-how in prefabricated modular power plants to the “next level, combining modularity and ease of use with superior medium-speed engine performance”.

Kämi added: “Modular Block, being a cost-effective solution that is configurable to different needs, scalable and re-deployable, brings fast and reliable power wherever needed.”

Wärtsilä introduced the Wärtsilä Modular Block at this week’s Africa Energy Forum, being held at the Lisbon Congress Centre, Portugal.

CEEC’s latest workshop to examine new gen energy options for miners

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With more and more mining sector interest in energy efficiency and uptake of renewables, the global not-for-profit communication hub for energy efficient mineral processing, CEEC, says it is running a series of workshops to share the latest developments in this field.

The next one-day Mineral Processing and Innovation Workshop on Energy Curves, Productivity and New Gen Energy, will be held at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide on June 19.

This event is due to kick off with a keynote address from OZ Minerals CEO and MD, Andrew Cole, who will share his vision for steering smart energy and productivity for sustainable mining, processing and communities.

Marc Allen, CEEC Director and Technical Director at engeco, said there was a worldwide trend towards new-generation energy options such as solar, battery-electric power and hydrogen – not only in the sector but for global power generation to combat climate change.

“The paradox is that these low carbon technologies are minerals intensive, and metals such as copper, nickel, lithium and cobalt will be required in greater volumes to make this transition possible,” Allen said.

“The shift towards a decarbonised energy future has significant ramifications for the global mining industry, particularly given the energy intensive nature of comminution and mining, coupled with the remoteness of most mineral deposits.”

Allen said renewable energy sources with low carbon energy backup options and/or energy storage were becoming more and more common in mines, with one leading example being the solar project at Degrussa Copper-Gold Mine in Western Australia.

Sandfire Resources’ Degrussa Solar project, commissioned in 2016, is reported to be the world’s largest integrated off-grid solar and battery storage facility. It supplies about 20% of the mine’s annual power requirements and has reduced emissions by close to 12,000 t/y of carbon dioxide, according to CEEC.

“South Australia is also leading the way with adopting new-gen energy. BHP is trialling zero-emission light electric vehicles at its Olympic Dam mine and has plans to progressively replace diesel fuel with lithium-ion batteries,” Allen said.

Canada’s first all-electric mine (Borden) is also on the cards, being constructed by CEEC sponsors Newmont-Goldcorp, Sandvik and MacLean Engineering.

Allen said: “Newmont-Goldcorp’s target is to increase energy efficiency by 15% over five years and source 5% of its energy from renewables. It’s pleasing to see that other major mining companies are fast following suit, introducing bold targets to shrink their carbon and energy footprint.”

Another standout country is Chile, with reports of nine companies, including copper miners Codelco and Antofagasta Minerals, introducing renewable energy such as wind and solar power.

In addition to transitioning to clean energy technologies, mining operations are striving to improve the energy efficiency of comminution. In Australia, alone, copper and gold mines’ comminution processes consume 1.3% of national electricity production, as well as being key constraints to site productivity, value and mining footprint.

Speakers and panellists at the CEEC Mineral Processing and Innovation Workshop in Adelaide on June 19 will share the latest technologies and methodologies being employed to boost energy efficiency, value and productivity in processing plants and mine sites, according to CEEC.

Keynote speaker Cole will be joined by leading mining, METS and research experts from across Australia, including Energy Curve researcher Dr Cathy Evans, Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Institute; Professor Stephen Grano, Executive Director, Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources, University of Adelaide; and Professor Bill Skinner, Research Leader, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia.

With data science and AI also being key drivers for improving operational efficiency and dispatch of electrical energy, workshop participants will hear from PETRA Data Science’s Managing Director, Dr Penny Stewart, and Technical Director, Dr Zeljka Pokrajcic.

Innovative METS leaders, including Greg Lane, Ausenco; Sandy Gray, Gekko Systems; and Bear Rock Solutions’ Dr Ted Bearman and Adjunct Professor Rob Dunne, will present practical advances in comminution technology.

Insights into South Australia mining and mineral processing innovations will be provided by Joe Seppelt, OZ Minerals Processing Manager at the Carrapateena copper-gold project, north of Port Augusta, and Enzo Artone, BHP Area Manager, Mill and Process Minerals, BFX Project, Olympic Dam.

To register or find out more about the workshop, which will be held at the National Wine Centre, click here.

Anglo American, Rio Tinto back World Bank’s clean technology developments

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Anglo American and Rio Tinto have committed to the World Bank’s Climate-Smart Mining initiative by becoming founding donors to the Climate-Smart Mining Facility.

The Climate-Smart Mining Facility is the first-ever fund dedicated to making mining for metals and minerals a more sustainable practice that complements the global energy transition, according to Anglo.

Building on the World Bank’s initial $2 million investment, Anglo American and Rio have joined governments (the German government being one) as a donor. Anglo said it would provide $1 million to the facility over the next five years.

“The facility’s work will support the sustainable extraction and processing of mining products used in developing clean energy technologies, such as copper used in energy storage and electric vehicles,” Anglo said. “The fund will also work with governments and operators in developing countries to establish strategies for sustainable mining operations and legal frameworks that promote smart mining.”

Anglo American said it shares the World Bank’s view that the energy transition will be mineral-intensive, creating economic opportunities for resource-rich countries and the mining sector.

Mark Cutifani, Chief Executive of Anglo American, said: “To have real impact we must work together with governments and operators to bring changes. That is why we are supporting the World Bank with this facility, to provide funds that can transform our industry for the future.

“Mining cannot continue its long path of simply scaling up to supply what the world needs. We need to do things in dramatically different ways if we are to transform our footprint and be valued by all our stakeholders. Our first responsibility is to reduce our energy and water usage, and our emissions.

“At Anglo American, we have set ourselves on a journey to carbon neutrality operationally, with our 2020 and 2030 targets as staging posts. Our FutureSmart Mining™ technologies will be a key driver of this.”

Rio Tinto CEO, J-S Jacques, said: “The transition to clean energy solutions presents both a significant opportunity and responsibility for the mining industry, as it provides the materials that make these technologies possible.

“We want to be part of the solution on climate change and the best solutions will come from innovative partnerships across competitors, governments and institutions. Our collaboration with the World Bank and many others is aimed at making a real difference by promoting sustainable practices across our industry. We look forward to supporting the Climate-Smart Mining Facility by contributing not just funding but also expertise as a leader in sustainable mining practices.”

The World Bank said the facility focuses on “helping resource-rich developing countries benefit from the increasing demand for minerals and metals, while ensuring the mining sector is managed in a way that minimises the environmental and climate footprint”.

The facility, which supports the sustainable extraction and processing of minerals and metals used in clean energy technologies, such as wind, solar power, and batteries for energy storage and electric vehicles, will also assist governments to build a robust policy, regulatory and legal framework that promotes climate-smart mining and creates an enabling environment for private capital, the World Bank said.

Projects may include:

  • Supporting the integration of renewable energy into mining operations, given that the mining sector accounts for up to 11% of global energy use and that mining operations in remote areas often rely on diesel or coal;
  • Supporting the strategic use of geological data for a better understanding of “strategic mineral” endowments;
  • Forest-smart mining: preventing deforestation and supporting sustainable land-use practices; repurposing mine sites, and;
  • Recycling of minerals: supporting developing countries to take a circular economy approach and reuse minerals in a way that respects the environment.

Riccardo Puliti, Senior Director and Head of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice at the World Bank, said: “The World Bank supports a low-carbon transition where mining is climate-smart and value chains are sustainable and green. Developing countries can play a leading role in this transition: developing strategic minerals in a way that respects communities, ecosystems and the environment. Countries with strategic minerals have a real opportunity to benefit from the global shift to clean energy.”

The World Bank is targeting a total investment of $50 million, to be deployed over a five-year timeframe.

Boliden and Vattenfall sign agreement to electrify mines and smelters

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Vattenfall and Boliden say they have signed an agreement to jointly evaluate technical developments to electrify mines and smelters, “the circular economy and a fossil-free future”. The agreement, which covers a four-year period, also includes battery solutions with a view to supporting the electricity grid and optimising electricity consumption, the two companies said.

The companies said: “Vattenfall and Boliden are committed to the transition to a sustainable society, which means reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Under the new four-year strategic agreement, the companies will develop business solutions involving batteries, solar panels, electric transport and recycling of new generation car batteries.”

President and CEO of Vattenfall, Magnus Hall, said: “It’s great that Vattenfall and Boliden can work together on this. It will require technological change and investments in new solutions, but the opportunities are there for both companies. Industrial partnerships like this are crucial if we are to make progress on the electrification of industry and enable fossil-free living within one generation.”

President and CEO of Boliden, Mikael Staffas, said: “Boliden is one of Europe’s largest players in the field of base metals. These metals are a crucial part of the solution for achieving ambitious climate targets in society. At the same time, it’s clearly important for us to drive the development forward within the raw materials sector and identify business solutions and processes for both mining and recycling which will make us more competitive.”

Boliden has mining and smelting operations in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Ireland, with the main sources of fossil emissions include diesel vehicles, process heat and coke as a reducing agent.

“In all areas, fossil-free electricity can be an important part of the solution,” the two companies said. “As a technology-independent partner, Vattenfall can evaluate and enable the introduction of fossil-free technologies, eg electricity and charging infrastructure for transport and mining.”

As a first step in the partnership, modern energy solutions will be implemented at the Bergsöe lead smelter in Landskrona, one of Europe’s largest recyclers of lead batteries from cars. Solar panels, which will produce locally generated renewable electricity to power the plant, will also be installed shortly, according to the two companies.

Technical solutions involving batteries, among other things, are expected to reduce the load on the electricity grid, provide backup power, reduce peaks in capacity and offset renewable weather-dependent electricity generation, they said.

GoviEx Uranium and Windiga sizing up hybrid solar power solution for Madaouela

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GoviEx Uranium has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Windiga Energy that could see the company’s flagship Madaouela project in Niger use a dedicated and renewable hybrid solar power solution.

Initial discussions and collaboration between the company and Windiga will target energy solutions for Madaouela with the intent to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 20,000 t/y and provide sustainable, renewable power at approximately 25% lower cost than traditional coal-fired options currently available in Niger, GoviEx said.

GoviEx Chairman, Govind Friedland, said: “We are pleased to begin exploring cleaner energy alternatives to power our future development activities in partnership with Windiga.”

The company has requested that Windiga determine the feasibility of a solution to power the Madaouela project and the surrounding local community through a hybrid power plant combining photovoltaic solar panels and diesel generators, with total installed capacity of at least 20 MW.

Under the terms of the MOU, following a favourable result from a feasibility study, GoviEx will have an opportunity to negotiate a power purchase agreement for the priority supply of electricity for an initial term of 21 years, extendible at the request of GoviEx.

Windiga is Canadian energy developer focused on developing, owning and operating renewable energy facilities and off-grid smart power systems on the African continent.

The proposed base case for Madaouela envisages a 2.69 Mlb/y U3O8 yellowcake production rate, a 93.7% ultimate recovery and an 18-year mine life. Initial capital costs were estimated at $359 million, with total life of mine capital costs at $676 million, cash operating costs of $24.49/lb U3O8 excluding royalties, and $31.49/lb U3O8 including royalties.