Climate Action

Anglo American Scales Sustainability Commitments

August 30, 2018 by

Global Outperformer Pioneers New CSR Strategy

Leadership, Environment, Thriving Communities, Trust
Anglo American has rolled out an innovative strategy to foster energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), enhance smart water use and create value spanning its global footprint. Through this new strategy officials are accelerating—and better communicating—cross-operational improvements in key sustainability areas that systematically augment each other.

This blueprint has been systematically formulated to scale sustainability while embedding trust and transparency among all–stakeholders and stakeholder groups.

Following robust internal and external consultations as well as risk and opportunity-based analyses, Anglo outlined three strategic pillars, “Trusted Corporate Leader, Thriving Communities, Healthy Environment.” All further principles driving Anglo’s existing FutureSmart Mining™ blueprint. Integral, too, is the miner’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Scaling Resilience
Given ore depletion and growing market demands, miners are working harder to discover copper in remote corners of the world. Miners must address the sustainability of operations carefully and systematically: failure to do so can result in problems for the environment, communities and broader regions. These issues are mission critical—given “pit-to-port” industrial infrastructure, from the mines and associated facilities to roads, highways and railways to deep water ports.

“If Anglo American is to play its part in creating a sustainable future for the world and improving the lives of all of us, we must be prepared to challenge our business and ourselves, by re-imagining mining.”

– Mark Cutifani, Anglo American CEO

Beyond “Business as Usual”
Yet opportunities are vast, and Anglo is on the cutting edge of a drive to reinvent the copper mining industry itself.

Specific targets encompass reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) 30 percent, enhancing energy efficiencies 30 percent and slashing freshwater abstraction rates by 50 percent in water-scarce regions—a major concern to copper miners the world over.

In 2017, GHG emission reductions totaled 4.8 million tonnes—a full 21 percent reduction below initial forecasts. GHG emission-reduction targets for 2020, meanwhile, were 22 percent against projected emissions under “Business as Usual” (BAU) predictions.

Moreover, Anglo accomplished a 6 percent energy savings relative to BAU scenarios. In total, 320 energy-efficiency and business-improvement projects conserved 6.4 million gigajoules (GJ) in energy consumption throughout last year.

In the long term, Anglo aims to build a fully carbon-neutral, 100 percent green-powered mine. It is a multi-dimensional approach yielding remarkable returns. With help from a holistic climate-smart procurement focus—also intrinsic to the new strategy—full GJ annual consumption dropped to 97 million GJ from 105 million since 2016.

Walking on Water
Environmental and biotic impacts are important across jurisdictions for leading copper miners. For Anglo officials, water conservation is a major focus. In 2017, most notably, half of all the copper miner’s sites were water-stressed—pending global forecasts of a water shortfall of 40 percent by 2030.

“Delivering on these commitments will transform the way Anglo American does business.”

– Mark Cutifani, Anglo American CEO

Anglo is simultaneously pursuing 2020 freshwater reduction targets of 20 percent—contrasting with BAU—while moving toward recycling 75 percent of all water used at its mines. Other water-friendly measures target ore crushing and grinding, which will enable a re-use of 80 percent of process water. In the future Anglo plans an eventual move toward a 100 percent waterless mine.

These are among myriad examples of how Anglo’s sustainable energy and water priority strategies are interrelated. Its environmental conservation and sustainable development for local communities—including job creation and educational opportunities—as well as regional economies are a source of inspiration to miners across the globe.

About the Copper Alliance^®
The Copper Alliance^® is a network of regional copper centers and their industry-leading members. It is responsible for guiding policy and strategy and for funding international initiatives and promotional activities. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization has offices in four primary regions: Europe and Africa, Asia, Latin America and North America. Copper Alliance programs and initiatives are executed in more than 60 countries through its regional offices and country-level copper promotion centers.

About Anglo American
Anglo American plc is a diversified multinational mining firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, United Kingdom, and is a major copper producer with four red metal mines in Chile.

About FutureSmart Mining™
Enabled by robust, cross-operational and stakeholder consultations, Anglo methodology is embedded in its FutureSmart Mining™ initiative, which applies cutting-edge technology and broad innovative thinking. This encompasses collaboration to ensure safer, more efficient and more sustainable mining while accommodating the needs of each host community.

Energy and Mining: Challenges Present New Opportunities

March 18, 2018 by

THE CHALLENGE

As the copper resource is developed, mining begins by extracting ore closest to the surface. As these resources are removed, equipment must mine ore from an increasing depth. Deeper pits result in longer, uphill hauls for trucks to deliver ore to the mill for processing — increasing diesel consumption, which results in greater energy consumption and GHG emissions.

In addition, to enhance project economics, higher grade ore is commonly processed early in the mine life, followed by lower grade ore. For example, Teck’s Highland Valley Copper Operations were processing ore with a copper grade of 0.47% in 1988; this had declined to a grade of 0.30% in 2012. Decreasing ore grades mean that greater amounts of material must be moved and processed to achieve the same quantity of final product.

This combination of increased haul distances and decreasing ore grades increases energy consumption and GHG emissions required to produce each tonne of product over the life of a mine.

WHAT IS TECK DOING?

While an operation’s energy profile will typically demonstrate increased energy consumption over time, the aim is to minimise the impact of increasing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Energy goals focus on pursuing projects that enhance energy efficiency and thereby reduce GHG emissions at any stage in a mine’s life. This can be in the form of harnessing alternative energy sources such as wind.

In the future, it is likely that new resource development projects will be in even more remote locations, perhaps with lower grade material that is more challenging to extract and process. These factors all suggest that mining is likely to become even more energy intensive. This will make it challenging to reduce energy intensity and the associated GHG emissions. With this understanding in mind, Teck is developing goals around the design of new projects to ensure that it is continually evaluating best practices for future operations.

A Recycling Champion

January 2, 2018 by

Copper is completely recyclable. It can be used again and again without losing any of its properties. Recycled copper can be used in exactly the same way as newly mined copper which accounts for the estimated two-thirds of the 550 million tonnes of copper produced since 1900, still being in productive use.With increasing demand for the metal, copper is used in a multitude of ways, but by far, the main use is in electrical applications which accounts for around 70% of its usage. The remaining 30% is for nonelectrical applications such as touch surfaces, building and design material and in agriculture.

Recycled copper requires 85% less energy than primary production. On a global scale, this saves 40 million tonnes of CO₂ or the equivalent emissions of 16 million cars.

Over the last ten years, over a third of annual copper use is derived from recycled sources. The ability to recycle such a large quantity of the metal means a much more sustainable production process with significantly less water and energy usage and far less waste. Recycling not only allows us to meet market demand but most importantly, it minimises the impact on the environment and safeguards our future. More about recycled copper

Copper And Food Supply

January 2, 2018 by

Supplying fish for protein to a growing population in a sustainable way and without damaging the precious aquatic environment is a huge challenge.

With the world’s ever increasing demand for protein, aquaculture, or fish farming, will play a vital role.

Added to pressure of supply and demand, climate-change consequences also challenge the industry:

Rising sea temperatures affect the viability of natural marine habitats and further limit insufficient stocks of fish for food in open waters.
Increased frequency and intensity of storms already cause catastrophic damage to fish farms.

The problems with synthetic farming technology

The technological aspects of fish farming are relatively simple and straightforward: the fish need to be contained in a controlled environment so that they can grow and be harvested at maturity. Traditional fish enclosures are made of petroleum-based, synthetic materials (e.g., nylon), which are adequate for containing fish but present a variety of problems:

Weak, synthetic materials are susceptible to damage from storms, leading to catastrophic losses for fish farmers and disruption in food supply chains.
Synthetic materials are vulnerable to prey (sea lions, seals, sharks, etc.), which can puncture the enclosures and lead to fish escapes.
Synthetic materials are highly susceptible (near 100 percent occurrence) to biofouling, growth of organic materials on the netting itself.
Short service life (about three months)
High level of expensive and energy-intensive maintenance
Contaminated fish, which may require antibiotics
Environmental concerns with end-of-life disposal due to nonrecyclable synthetic materials and transfer of biofouled enclosures to land environments.

These challenges increase the carbon footprint of the global fish-farming industry.

Sustainable fish farming with copper-alloy netting

Copper-alloy mesh in aquaculture addresses the key challenges facing the fish-farming industry globally, in a more sustainable way, while improving economics for fish farmers. The benefits of this new technology are diverse and significant:

Climate-change adaptation
- Strong copper-alloy mesh capable of withstanding harsh conditions farther offshore
- With increased occurrence and intensity of storms, expectation that current fish-farming technologies will increasingly fail during adverse weather events
Reduced carbon footprint
- Longer installed lifetime of copper-alloy mesh (five-plus years vs. three months for synthetic material), resulting in reduced energy consumption and maintenance activities
- Copper-alloy mesh provides a healthier environment for fish, leading to shorter harvest cycles and associated carbon-intensive supporting activities
- Copper-alloy mesh is 100 percent recyclable, resulting in a much more favorable life cycle assessment (LCA) vs. competing technologies
Improves fish health and production
- Copper-alloy mesh naturally improves water flow and circulation and helps maintain higher oxygen levels that inhibit parasites and pathogens from growing and infecting fish. This reduces the need for added antibiotics and anti-fouling chemicals. Feeding costs can be reduced by 15%.
- Maintains cage volumes
Clean copper-alloy mesh allows pens to maintain their shape against strong ocean waves and currents, even those offshore. Larger, more stable pen volumes prevent fish crowding and help maintain high oxygenation that ultimately improve yields. The mesh also possesses high mechanical strength and formability, which is essential in the creation of effective marine aquaculture containment structures.
- Excludes predators and prevents escapes
High-strength copper alloy mesh resists predator attacks, thereby reducing escapes of farmed fish.
Reduces maintenance
- Copper-alloy mesh rarely needs to be cleaned, lowering overall costs associated with maintenance and diver risk.
Recyclable
- Copper-alloy mesh lasts for six years or more depending on application conditions. Due to its protective patina (coating), it loses little mass over time, and is fully recyclable. Recycled material is used in initial production of copper-alloy mesh, which further reduces CO² emissions, compared with traditional polymer nets. High-strength and corrosion-resistant copper-alloy meshes are compatible with pens commonly used in the marine aquaculture industry, allowing for rapid implementation at existing cultivation centers.

More about copper and aquaculture

Climate Change

January 2, 2018 by

Copper is at the core of the climate change battle.

The importance of copper’s role in decarbonization cannot be overstated. Some four million tonnes of copper are produced, recycled or converted into value-added products across Europe each year. Of course, these activities require energy. However, they also provide the building blocks on which to base industrialized economic recovery and the new technologies a low-carbon economy needs.

The European copper industry has developed strategies that trigger and support substantial carbon reductions in the downstream industrial, residential and service sectors.

By 2020, these strategies could deliver 130 million tonnes of CO₂ savings per year.

This amount would grow steadily, and by 2050, total EU CO₂ emissions could be reduced by 25% — more than 1,100 million tonnes per year — relative to 2011 levels.

The European copper industry has also developed and is advancing strategies to reduce its own carbon footprint. Through significant capital investments, the copper producing industry has successfully reduced its CO2 emissions by cutting its unit energy consumption by 60% versus 1990. Copper producers are united in their dedication to continuing this effort and will report on their progress.

For more information, download the report “Copper’s contribution to a low-carbon future – A plan to decarbonise Europe by 25 percent”.

Globally, similar investments in copper-based strategies could reduce the world’s carbon footprint by 16% by 2030. This means a 5.7 billion tonne reduction in CO₂ and a savings of $860 in energy costs each year.

Copper At The Core Of Driving European Sustainable Energy Growth

January 2, 2018 by

Copper has been pushing the boundaries of innovation since the dawn of civilization. Today copper is more relevant than ever as we move toward a low-carbon economy. Copper plays a crucial role in our homes, in our workplaces, in transportation, in infrastructure and in our industries.

Europe’s sustainable energy future depends on the twin pillars of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Energy efficiency continues to deliver as the “first fuel”: the more efficient energy services are delivered, the more effective and significant contribution renewable energy has in primary energy production.

The European Commission’s Clean Energy Package provides an excellent opportunity to ensure the EU takes a big step in the direction toward integrated energy systems, facilitating the uptake of renewable energy sources and increasing levels of energy efficiency. Once the package is adopted by the EU institutions, copper will continue to contribute to the innovative solutions needed to implement it and unleash its potential across the EU.

Through the DecarbEurope initiative, we are promoting, with a number of partners, the most cost-effective ways of decarbonizing Europe’s economy.

Click here to read our report

Climate Action

THE CHALLENGE

WHAT IS TECK DOING?

Recycled copper requires 85% less energy than primary production. On a global scale, this saves 40 million tonnes of CO2 or the equivalent emissions of 16 million cars.

The problems with synthetic farming technology

Sustainable fish farming with copper-alloy netting

Recycled copper requires 85% less energy than primary production. On a global scale, this saves 40 million tonnes of CO₂ or the equivalent emissions of 16 million cars.