Tag Archives: solar power

State of Play report highlights expected solar dominance in future mine power mix

The State of Play’s latest industry report has highlighted the increasing prevalence of solar use across the Australian mining landscape, with global mining leaders predicting that solar will be the main energy source in just 15 years as the sector shifts to renewables.

The report, The State of Play: Mining Strategy in a Changing World, received input from over 700 global mining leaders, from major mining groups such as Rio Tinto, BHP and South 32. It uncovered mining leaders predicting oil and diesel will only contribute around 20% of the future energy source for the industry, with 79% indicating solar will be the main energy source over the next 15 years.

The predicted shift comes as pressure mounts for the mining sector to do more in the space of renewables with the majority of mining leaders (91%) believing they are viewed negatively by society as a whole with respect to climate, the report states.

State of Play Chair, Graeme Stanway, says the energy transition, alongside a government push to capitalise on green critical minerals, provides a viable pathway for industry to take action and catalyse industry-wide transition.

“Our data shows that both the energy transition and environmental pressures are in the top three global trends that are expected to have the biggest impact on innovation and change in the mining over the next 15 years,” he said. “Society is expecting the mining industry to step up, and as a consequence we are seeing innovations in processing, new energy sources and technologies. Technology like long duration energy storage has come a long way in the last few years, as has the use of artificial intelligence.”

Companies such as Bellevue Gold (solar operation pictured above) are in the process of developing assets with over 80% renewable penetration, while others, such as Gold Fields, have trialled numerous electric vehicles.

Other insights from the report include:

  • 56% of all respondents stating geopolitical alliances will have the biggest impact on global supply chains in the mining industry;
  • 81% of respondents believe battery minerals will offer the most attractive investment returns over the next 15 years;
  • Nearly 70% of CEOs suggested their timeframe for innovation focus was less than three years; and
  • 67% of respondents stated they believed there would be a carbon-based price differential for their commodities in the next five years.

Glencore’s Rhovan vanadium facility looks to ‘go green’ with solar PV facility

Rhovan, a Glencore Ferroalloys managed vanadium mining and processing facility located near Brits in the North West province of South Africa, has commenced construction of a 25 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

Once completed, the energy produced by the PV plant will be fed into Rhovan’s network and is expected to supply approximately 30% of the operations’ annual energy demand. This reduction in grid-supplied electricity is expected to save over 48,000 t/y in CO2e emissions at the plant, according to Glencore.

Japie Fullard, Glencore Ferroalloys CEO, said: “We are very excited to announce this development at our Rhovan mine. Not only does our mine produce a range of vanadium products that can be used in applications that support a low-carbon economy, but by installing a solar plant that will supply renewable electricity to our operation, we are reducing the mine’s overall emissions footprint.”

Glencore says the solar project was conceived in keeping with its purpose of responsibly sourcing the commodities that advance everyday life. It also supports Glencore’s broader climate strategy aimed at reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its industrial operations in line with its short- and medium-term targets.

Supporting the transition to a low-carbon future is not just about reducing emissions and leveraging more green technology, but also involving communities and supporting their economic development, the company said.

Fullard added: “Rhovan has already consulted with the Bakwena- Ba- Magopa Community in South Africa’s North West province where the operations are situated. The community will be further engaged, and local small and medium sized enterprises will be contracted to assist in the construction and installation of the solar plant.”

Work has already commenced on the project, with the commissioning planned for late 2024.

Aggreko solar power, BESS solution to help Rio Tinto cut Weipa Scope 2 emissions by 10%

Aggreko has successfully won the bid to build, own and operate a 12.4 MW solar farm and 8.8 MW/2.1 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) under a long-term power purchase agreement for Rio Tinto’s Amrun project in Weipa, 800 km from Cairns in far north Queensland.

Rio Tinto said the project, which will supplement power currently supplied by Aggreko’s diesel generators, will help it reduce Scope 2 emissions at its Weipa operations by up to 10%.

Once operational, Aggreko’s 12.4 MW solar farm and BESS are expected to reduce Amrun’s diesel electricity consumption by 37% or approximately 5.5 million litres of diesel fuel per year. This will reduce annual CO2 emissions by approximately 14,000 t, which is the equivalent of taking 3,100 internal combustion engine cars off the road.

Rio Tinto General Manager Weipa Operations, Shona Markham, said the miner is committed to delivering sustainable, low-carbon bauxite to its customers.

“The construction of the Amrun solar farm and BESS, which is located on Wik and Wik-Waya Traditional lands, is an important milestone for Weipa operations and will contribute to Rio Tinto’s commitment to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.

The remote location and power effectiveness made Aggreko the ideal company to build, own, operate and maintain the Amrun solar farm, it said. Aggreko’s capabilities will ensure Rio Tinto has constant and efficient energy for critical applications and day-to-day use at Amrun.

George Whyte, Managing Director of Aggreko Asia Pacific, said his team has delivered many similar applications and the focus now is completing the job on time and safely.

“At Aggreko, we pride ourselves on our exceptional safety record,” Whyte said. “The existing power stations’ performance is essential for all Weipa operations, and as we look into the future, we are confident that the introduction of solar will help both companies achieve our decarbonisation targets.”

Early works have commenced on the Amrun solar farm, which is expected to be operational by early 2025, with no interruption to local power services. Once completed, the Amrun solar farm will provide around 21 GWh/y of renewable power.

Rio Tinto completed the commissioning of the Amrun bauxite mine in 2019. The mine and associated processing and port facilities replaced production from Rio Tinto’s depleting East Weipa mine, increasing annual bauxite export capacity by around 10 Mt at that time.

ABB solution underwrites solar power plant installation at Kinross Tasiast

A bespoke end-to-end switchgear and circuit breaker solution from ABB Electrification is powering up a new solar plant at Kinross Gold’s Tasiast operation in Mauritania, which is looking to significantly reduce emissions via the use of renewable energy.

The Tasiast project has recently increased capacity to 24,000 t/d of gold while reducing costs.

To help meet the company’s sustainability targets, an integrated PV solar plant has been finalised – with power generation capacity of 34 MW and a battery system of 18 MW – to provide around 20% of the site’s power.

The Tasiast solar project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 530,000 t over the life of the mine, which could save approximately 180 million litres of fuel over the same period, according to the company. The new scheme is also contributing to the Government of Mauritania’s GHG reduction targets in the country.

Long standing ABB partner, Voltalia, based in Portugal, was tasked with the systems integration and value chain of the new project. Despite already being covered for protection relays, IED and energy metres, the main MV switchgear required integration in the Low Voltage Compartment (LVC) and interoperability with other devices from different manufacturers, so all components operated in conjunction, complementing each others functions and meeting all customer demands.

Subsequently, ABB specified 15 SF6-free and UniGear ZS2 air insulated switchgear panels. These offer additional benefits such as a smaller footprint, easy maintenance and assembly, plus withdrawable voltage transformer, according to ABB. The solution also included 13 of ABB’s VD4 vacuum circuit breakers – there are more than two million in active operation globally – which minimise maintenance and costly downtime, increase safety and provide primary and secondary protection guarantees.

Jeremy Martin, Project Manager at Voltalia SA, said: “Working with ABB on the Tasiast solar project was again a good experience. ABB’s technical expertise played a key role in achieving our objectives for this project. Working alongside a committed partner like ABB reinforces our belief that collaboration can bring about real change.”

Crucially, ABB technology comes with compact dimensions free of SF6 insulating gas in the switchgear or the circuit breaker – without compromising performance, safety or reliability – which was a key differentiator for both Voltalia and Kinross, ABB says.

With the relays taking up significant space and having to be fitted within the confines of the LVC door, without interfering with the wiring and other components, the ZS2’s footprint flexibility proved ideal, according to ABB. For extra protection, ABB also integrated two relays in one panel and the Relion RED615, with its superior line differential protection and control for incomer units, complemented the functionality required and fitted in the tight LVC door front access, it added.

Nuno Nunes, Sales Engineer at ABB Portugal, said: “The mining industry is committed to reducing its emissions and integrating more renewable energy sources, so it was great to be involved in this innovative project, which uses our space-saving and SF6-free switchgear and circuit breakers to help provide continuous power supply for the new solar plant to operates at peak levels.”

Nida Deveci, Sales Manager and UGUR ACAR Project Manager for ABB Turkey, explained: “The factory acceptance test with our partner Voltalia was successful at the first attempt and proved that the collaboration and understanding was clear and good from the offset. They were very pleased with the speed of our responses and appreciated the technical revisions and adjustments we brought to the table to complete the process satisfactorily for all concerned parties.”

Centamin to reestablish Sukari as tier one asset with new life of mine plan

A new life of mine plan for the Sukari gold mine in Egypt will deliver long-term increased gold production, lower operational costs, reduced operational risk and significantly reduced carbon emissions, according to owner Centamin.

The company announced the new plan today, flagging average gold production from Sukari of 506,000 oz/y for the next nine years (2024-2032); and 475,000 oz/y for life of mine (2024–2034), reflecting a 5% increase in life of mine gold production compared to 2022 (441,000 oz).

The main contributors to this increase was an improved open-pit schedule, which included a 40% improvement to the life of mine strip ratio (6.5 times) compared to full year 2022 (10.8 times); an increased underground schedule, including a 75% increase in average life of mine ore mining rates (1.4 Mt/y) compared to FY22 (800,000 t); and the integration of a gold gravity circuit to the processing plant, driving a 2% increase in life of mine gold recoveries (89.8%) compared to FY22 (88.2%).

When it comes to the cost and emissions outlook, Centamin flagged connection to the Egyptian national grid, which would deliver an estimated $41 million of annual cost savings based on current diesel prices. The company also flagged the potential for increasing the capacity of its existing solar power plant, going from the existing 30 MW to 45-50 MW.

The optimisation of the open pit involves several parts – the aforementioned strip ratio changes, deferred processing of stockpiles and an optimised fleet strategy. The latter will see Centamin purchase an additional five trucks in 2024 to support the life of mine plan, at an approximate cost of $13 million taking the Sukari fleet capacity from some 90 Mt/y to 110 Mt/y.

The gold gravity circuit, meanwhile, will be added to the processing facility to improve the recovery of the coarse gold found in the higher grade ore from both the underground and open pit. Construction of this is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025 for an estimated capital cost of up to $20 million.

Centamin also mentioned further upside opportunities to this life of mine plan, including an expansion of dump leach operations, further open pit and plant optimisation, and resource and reserve growth.

Martin Horgan, CEO, said: “Today’s new life of mine plan firmly reestablishes Sukari as a global tier one gold asset, with long-term production above 500,000 oz per annum at all-in sustaining costs below $1,000/oz, underscoring our dedication to maximising free cash flow generation. This plan is not only a substantial improvement on what was previously published but, importantly, it incorporates significantly lower operational risk and delivers improved carbon abatement.

“This revised plan underpins our strategy to maximise the value of Sukari as the foundation for growth and diversification balanced with stakeholder returns.”

Rio Tinto completes 5 MW solar power plant build at Kennecott

Rio Tinto has completed construction on a new 5 MW solar power plant at its Kennecott copper operation in Utah, USA, with commissioning expected in the coming weeks.

The 12,800 solar panel power plant will enable Kennecott to reduce its operational emissions by 3,000 t/y of carbon dioxide equivalent, Rio Tinto says. It will also serve as a pilot project with the goal of expanding Kennecott’s solar energy supply in the future.

Shifting to sustainable energy solutions is a priority for Kennecott, the company says. The mine closed down its coal-fired power plant in 2019, moving to electricity paired with renewable energy certificates. This resulted in a 65% reduction in its carbon footprint and the elimination of over 1 Mt/y of carbon dioxide output.

Rio Tinto Kennecott Managing Director, Nate Foster, said: “Rio Tinto Kennecott has a key role to play in supporting the energy transition. We supply US companies with the copper and tellurium they need to produce solar panels, wind turbines, and conductors. We also continue to take steps to further decarbonise our business, from our battery-electric vehicle trial to our renewable diesel trial and now to our very own solar plant.”

The location of the 30-acre (12.1-ha) solar array was carefully selected to minimise visual and environmental impacts, Rio Tinto says. It is adjacent to other existing industrial operations, away from residential and commercial zones, with earthen berms from the railway providing a visual barrier to most of the installation.

Last year, Rio Tinto started producing tellurium as a by-product of mining and refining copper at Kennecott, becoming one of only two US producers of this critical mineral. Both copper and tellurium are vital components of photovoltaic solar panels. The tellurium from Kennecott is refined by 5N Plus, a producer of specialty semiconductors and performance materials, before being supplied primarily to First Solar for use in its solar panels.

Rio Tinto aims to reduce its global Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance secures half of Central Queensland power requirements with renewables

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has entered into a new renewable power purchase agreement (PPA) with Queensland’s publicly-owned energy generator and retailer CleanCo, which, the company says, is expected to provide half the forecasted electricity demand of BMA’s Central Queensland operations over five years from January 2026.

The new PPA will run to the end of 2030 and effectively extend an existing low carbon emission power agreement between BMA and CleanCo currently running to the end of 2025.

This second PPA will enable BMA to continue to source half of its expected electricity needs from low greenhouse gas emission sources such as solar and wind, as well as pumped hydro.

BHP President Australia, Geraldine Slattery, said: “We are increasing renewable electricity at BMA in line with our decarbonisation commitments to 2030 and beyond, improving the long-term sustainability of our business while at the same time supporting Queensland’s renewable electricity infrastructure build, regional communities and local jobs.

“We expect demand for Queensland’s higher-quality metallurgical coal to remain strong for many years to come, as major steelmakers look to reduce their emissions intensity while delivering the steel needed to support global population growth and decarbonisation infrastructure.”

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “Using more renewable electricity at our operated assets across the globe is key to our operational decarbonisation strategy. We are pleased to continue our strong relationship with CleanCo.

“Through a growing number of agreements to supply our mines in Chile, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia with renewable electricity, we are making good progress on decarbonisation while supporting the development of renewable infrastructure and stimulating regional economies.”

The new PPA will help support four renewable electricity projects across regional Queensland, which combined are expected to generate more than 1,500 local jobs during construction: the Dulacca Wind Farm due for completion in late 2023, the MacIntyre Wind Farm due for completion in 2025, and the Western Downs Green Power Hub and Kaban Wind Farm that currently supply electricity to the grid and are expected to reach full commercial operation later this year.

The PPA is also linked to CleanCo’s new renewable energy storage initiative, which directs excess renewables to the Wivenhoe Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Station to support an increase in around-the-clock renewable supply and cost management.

CleanCo CEO, Tom Metcalfe, said: “At CleanCo we are committed to providing tailored, clean energy solutions to help our customers decarbonise.

“It is our role to develop solutions that meet the unique energy needs of these companies so that they can thrive in a net zero future and I am thrilled BMA has entrusted CleanCo to continue to supply reliable, renewable energy for its operations.”

BHP is on track to achieve its medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% by FY2030 (from FY2020 levels). BHP also has a long-term goal to achieve net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Ivanhoe Electric planning for all-electric underground fleet and Railveyor tech at Santa Cruz copper project

Ivanhoe Electric has published the results of an Initial Assessment (IA) carried out on its Santa Cruz copper project, in Arizona, USA, highlighting the potential to build a 5.9 Mt/y underground mining operation that uses an all-electric underground heavy mining fleet, in combination with Railveyor technology for material movement.

The use of an all-electric underground heavy equipment fleet alone represents an estimated 70-80% reduction in Scope 1 emissions when compared to a traditional high-efficiency diesel-powered heavy equipment fleet, Ivanhoe says, adding thatthe use of Railveyor technology would further the efficiencies associated with moving mined mineralisation from underground to surface.

The IA base case assumes 70% of the total electric power requirements for the project will be generated by on-site renewable infrastructure, enabling copper production with very low carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions of 0.49 t of CO2e per tonne of copper for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. This compares favourably with a global mining industry average of approximately 3.9 t of CO2e per tonne of copper equivalent, Ivanhoe says. The subsequent prefeasibility study for the project will evaluate the potential use of combined solar power, battery storage and a geothermal-driven microgrid as renewable power sources to provide up to 100% of the electricity requirements for the project.

The Santa Cruz IA outlines a potential 5.9 Mt/y underground mining operation, supported by 105.2 Mt of modelled mill feed with an average grade of 1.58% Cu from the Santa Cruz and East Ridge Deposits, resulting in an estimated 20-year mine life.

The IA focuses exclusively on the high-grade exotic, oxide and enriched domains of the Santa Cruz and East Ridge Deposits, with the oxide and enriched domains of the Texaco deposit not included in the current study (2.7 Mt indicated grading 1.42% total copper and 27.3 Mt inferred grading 1.39% total copper, using a 0.80% cut-off grade).

Future studies could evaluate the potential addition of the large primary sulphide domains at Santa Cruz (76.2 Mt indicated grading 0.88% total copper and 8 Mt inferred grading 0.92% total copper, using a 0.70% cut-off grade) and at the Texaco Deposit (900,000 t indicated grading 1.05% total copper and 35 Mt inferred grading 1.06% total copper, using a 0.80% cut-off grade), subject to market conditions.

Copper recoveries of 95.4% are expected to be achieved through a combination of solvent extraction and electrowinning and conventional froth flotation. The IA includes life of mine production for the project of 1 Mt of copper in the form of 99.99% pure copper cathode and 600,000 t of copper contained in a 48% copper concentrate with very low deleterious elements, such as arsenic or lead.

The IA contemplates initial project capital expenditures of $1.15 billion, and life of mine sustaining capital expenditures totaling $0.98 billion. A three-year construction period is envisioned to develop the underground workings and build the surface processing facilities.

As a result of the small surface footprint required for underground copper mining activities included in the IA, the total land area expected to be required for the mine, plant, tailings storage facilities and potential on-site generation of renewable solar power covers approximately one-third of the total land package.

The IA also contemplates placing 50% of the mine tailings back underground as cemented paste fill. The remaining 50% will be stored on the surface as thickened tailings at 65% solid content. Surface tailings will be contained within a ring dyke dam with a capacity to store 56.7 Mt. Water management associated with tailings storage is minimised as a result of thickened tailings and high evaporation rates in the Sonoran Desert, the company says.

Executive Chairman, Robert Friedland, said: “Completing the Initial Assessment for our Santa Cruz copper project is an important achievement for Ivanhoe Electric as we work to advance a new source of responsibly produced ‘green’ copper in the United States. Our goal is to develop a modern copper mine that produces copper with among the lowest levels of carbon dioxide output in the industry; a product we think has the potential to attract a premium price in the future.

“Using primarily on-site renewable electricity generation, and with the potential to increase that to meet the project’s entire future needs, the IA shows us that we are on the right track to achieving our goal at Santa Cruz and our larger goal of enhancing US supply chain independence for critical metals. We are excited about the future for our Santa Cruz project in Arizona.”

In the IA, twin declines, each measuring 4.3 km, would be developed to access the upper parts of the Santa Cruz and East Ridge deposits. One decline is required for air intake and access, while the other will be required for air exhaust and material movement. To develop the declines, the IA assumes that construction of the portal box cut would begin in 2026, decline development in 2027 and continues through 2028 to access the top portion of the mine. Under these assumptions, stoping activities would begin in 2029 with a one-year ramp up to the full 15,000 t/d capacity.

Mining of the upper portion would proceed for the first eight years before additional capital expenditures are required to extend the declines by 1.9 km. Additional surface infrastructure would be required once mining of the lower portion commences. This would include the second phase construction of a refrigeration plant, ventilation, water handling and material handling.

Mine sequencing would employ typical transverse longhole stopes for the Santa Cruz deposit on a primary-secondary sequence with paste backfill for support. Mining of the Santa Cruz exotic mineralisation has been evaluated using a drift and fill technique with access from the Santa Cruz longhole stoping levels. The East Ridge deposit will apply a drift and fill mining technique with access directly from the twin declines.

Over the total life of mine, 105.2 Mt of mineralised material is expected to be mined. This includes 88.6 Mt from the Santa Cruz deposit, 1.9 Mt from the Santa Cruz exotic mineralisation, 9.8 Mt from the East Ridge deposit and 4.9 Mt of low-grade material required to access the deposits.

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

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.

Westgold’s Clean Energy Transition initiative accelerates with start up of first hybrid power station

The Tuckabianna hybrid power facility – the first of four new hybrid power stations being developed for Westgold Resources – has commenced operations, in Western Australia; a major milestone for the gold miner and its Clean Energy Transition initiative.

The four facilities – at Tuckabianna, Bluebird, Fortnum and Big Bell – are expected to provide substantial reductions in emissions and power costs across Westgold’s operations in the Murchison and Bryah regions of Western Australia, according to Pacific Energy, the provider of these solutions. The system will have a combined installed capacity of 82 MW, providing an expected annual reduction of 38 million litres in diesel fuel usage and approximately 57,000 t/y less CO2-equivalent emissions.

Westgold Chair, Cheryl Edwardes, and Managing Director, Wayne Bramwell, joined business partners, local officials and Traditional Owners on site to open the 17.9 MW facility this week.

The Tuckabianna facility includes a 6 MW solar farm fitted with 11,088 photovoltaic panels, a battery energy storage system with 2.4 MW installed capacity, and a 9.5 MW gas-fuelled power station.

The gas-fired power stations, battery storage and solar farms are owned and operated by Pacific Energy under an Electricity Purchase Agreement, and the LNG is provided by Clean Energy Fuels Australia (CEFA) under an LNG supply agreement. These agreements were signed last year.

These agreements will deliver substantial operating cost savings to Westgold in its 2023-2024 financial years onwards of around A$100/oz ($68/oz) at the then current diesel price and supports its commitment to environmental, social and governance initiatives that will reduce the company’s long term greenhouse gas emissions, it said.

Westgold’s Bramwell said: “Westgold continues to innovate to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and drive our operating costs down. This new hybrid power facility at Tuckabianna incorporates renewable energy and is a great first step along this journey, with power generated from these facilities energising our mines and processing hubs for decades to come. The successful commissioning of Tuckabianna is a testament to the tireless work of Westgold’s project and operational teams, business partners at Pacific Energy and CEFA and construction crews who have delivered our first power station safely and on schedule.”

Pacific Energy CEO, Jamie Cullen, said: “Congratulations to the Pacific Energy and Westgold project teams for delivering the Tuckabianna hybrid station – on time, and most importantly safely and incident free. Tuckabianna is part of a larger project to consolidate six existing power stations into four high efficiency hybrid power stations that incorporate gas, solar and battery storage systems. Collectively this represents one of the largest fully integrated hybrid power systems in the Australian mining sector.

“As a valued client of Pacific Energy since 2015, we are delighted to join Westgold on its transition to a cleaner energy future.”