The mining and metals industry is in the public eye as the world continues on its path to carbon neutrality. While mining companies have made strides in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, they still lag behind other industries. Mining operations need to develop energy-efficiency policies and practices, as well as green transportation and machinery. Transportation equipment in particular is a significant carbon emitter. The industry still consumes roughly 900,000 liters of diesel a year. Emissions reports have shown that in some mines, the hauling equipment alone creates a quarter of total mine emissions. This is a critical area that needs to be overhauled as the industry cuts its emissions and achieves a greener future. So what can be done in the short term and long term? This article will explore the two main options mining companies can implement. Firstly, an operation can transition away from diesel to a more sustainable alternative. Secondly, the entire fleet can be overhauled for electric vehicles, sometimes referred to as Battery electric vehicles (BEV).
Sustainable Fuels:
The quickest method to cut carbon emissions in a mining operation is to overhaul the primary transportation fuel source. Several sustainable fuel sources are already in use, each with its own costs and benefits:
Renewable diesel
Biofuels
Hydrogen fuel
Logistically the simplest option is to switch from regular diesel to renewable diesel, which is made from natural fats, vegetable oils, and greases. Mining operations would be able to retain much of their equipment, as the fuel sources are generally interchangeable. This means no equipment changes or downtime for refitting. Renewable diesel is an already established technology, with abundant supplies and potential for scalability. It is a low-risk solution that can be applied very quickly. However, the maintenance and ventilation costs of running diesel engines may be prohibitive in the long run.
Produced from plant-based biomass, biofuel is a catch-all term for a variety of synthetic power sources. Similar to renewable diesel, biofuels can work with existing equipment at a fraction of the carbon output. Compared to diesel, it produces almost 70% fewer emissions, though at the cost of slightly higher operating costs. It may be hard to predict the precise impact of biofuel on any particular fleet, as there are a variety of blends in use. At the moment, the production of biofuel is limited. If there is sufficient demand for more biofuel, manufacturing will scale up. A mining operation switching to biofuel would also need to overhaul its storage. As a result, any operation will have to deal with the increased costs until supply meets demand.
Switching to hydrogen fuel would require an overhaul of vehicles and infrastructure. But it makes up for this logistical cost in the long run. McKinsey has calculated that a switch to hydrogen-powered trucks could be up to 30% cheaper to maintain. On top of that, hydrogen-powered transports may save the company up to 50% on fuel costs. Hydrogen power can work effectively in conjecture with wind and solar power. Currently, hydrogen suffers from one major drawback, its recency. The technology is still under development and there may not be the supply to allow an operation to scale up quickly.
Electric Drivetrains
A low-carbon fleet of vehicles doesn’t just mean a transition to an alternative fuel. Advancements in electric drivetrain-powered vehicles create new opportunities for hauling. Modern batteries are sufficient to run mining equipment. Carbon emissions and costs can be further offset with renewable energy, as modern mines already use solar panels. The Gudai-Darri mine in Australia already produces 65% of its energy with solar panels. In locations where native, sustainable energy sources are not feasible, the company can instead use green electricity.
Electric vehicles come with a number of additional benefits to efficiency. Ventilation costs are reduced, as electric drivetrains do not produce the harmful fumes that come with diesel engines. Mines that already use fully electric fleets have found that they save up to 50% on ventilation costs. Electric vehicles benefit from fewer moving parts, which directly reduces maintenance costs from wear and tear. As battery technology develops, other operational costs will fall. Currently, larger capacity drivetrains and batteries are already being designed and tested. As the world transitions to electric vehicles in general, the mining industry is set to reap the benefits.
A Greener Future
A transition to lower-carbon or carbon-zero transportation technologies can bring a plethora of business and social benefits for the future. Firstly, the mining and metals industry will be able to save significantly on fuel and maintenance costs. Regardless of which low-carbon model is implemented, mining operations have the opportunity to limit spending while improving their environmental impact. The human benefits of sustainable mining are similarly important. Employees are subjected to less noise pollution and fumes, leading to a better quality of life. An abundance of diesel in a mining site also creates a fire hazard that can be offset by fully transitioning to sustainable fuel. This translates directly into reduced health and safety costs for the operation.
There are many paths to a greener future in sustainable mining. Companies around the globe are actively seeking means and methods to limit their carbon footprint. Join key decision makers at the 2nd Energy Transition for the Metals and Mining Industry conference, on January 19-20th, in Toronto, Canada. Industry leaders will gather to discuss and exchange the best practices for implementing green fuel and sustainable infrastructure.