PARTNER CONTENT

Can Mining and Minerals achieve net zero while staying profitable? Yes, we can!

Inaction on sustainability isn't a viable option and the time to act is now

Dassault Systèmes
Can Mining and Minerals achieve net zero while staying profitable? Yes, we can!

Gustavo Pilger, Director, Worldwide GEOVIA Research & Development Strategy & Management at Dassault Systèmes

In the Mining and Minerals sector, we have reached a crossroads where inaction on sustainability isn't a viable option and the time to act on low emissions strategies is now. ‘Business as usual' is no longer acceptable in the age of a burgeoning green political moment, environmental watchdogs overseeing boardrooms, the Paris Agreement and a generation that understands the impact of greenhouse gas emissions and demands to see action. It's essential that the industry adapts to new demands, conditions and business models and doesn't see this as another wave of costly and time-consuming bureaucracy, but as an opportunity to secure a sustainable pathway for growth for generations to come.

It should be noted that without mining there can be no energy switch, but miners will have to adapt their ways. The Electric Mine Consortium has given us a vision of how we can harness clean energy to transform mine sites towards zero emissions, for example. While hydrogen technology has progressed a great deal as an alternative energy source, in my view there are no silver bullets or white knights riding to our rescue. We are better off counting on a range of complementary sources of clean energy to achieve the zero emissions target. There is much more to do, and the sector needs to rise up to the challenge.

But for that to happen, the industry will need to embrace change. This is much easier said than done. The challenge lies in change management, which will include everything from implementing new technologies and attracting talent to adapting to new engagement and business models.

The urgency of the need for that change is visible everywhere. Think about the worrying sight of mining engineering and geology courses being shut down for the lack of students. We need to improve the reputation of the industry and highlight the importance mining plays in providing critical minerals to enable the energy switch, for example. If we don't hammer this message home, we will only limit our hiring from a shrinking pool of talent. Close collaboration between the industry and the government and the state will also be critical, which will help provide the infrastructure and backing that will wean us off dependence on fossil fuels and make access to renewables not only possible, but profitable.

Various experts have said that there is potential for Australia to be "the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy". There is no doubt that Australia can play a key role in supplying critical minerals. In Brisbane, we've seen the remarkable work of Pure Battery Technologies and The University of Queensland, which has developed and commercialised green, low-cost processes for producing nickel and cobalt battery materials. By adding value to essential minerals, companies are re-inventing themselves in order to adjust to expectations and demands from modern society. One example is Prony Resources that has changed its product line in order to produce Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate, that is being used to produce critical battery materials such as precursor Cathode Active Materials (pCAM) used in lithium-ion batteries. And in New South Wales, Newcrest Mining has shown us the possibilities of low-cost, long-life gold mining being realised. Australia and other mining beacons from Scotland to Nevada and New Caledonia can be the dynamos for a new economy. 

The mining sector has not always been viewed as a pioneer in technology adoption, but we all need to get on board with exploring exciting developments. From leveraging automated equipment and driverless vehicles, to AI and Machine Learning, to harnessing Virtual Twin technology for creating virtual models of our real-world operations sites - we can become faster, more efficient, adaptive and planet-friendly.

Technology and emerging frameworks will also help us get to the root cause of sustainability issues that come not just from mining itself, but from a gamut of other factors from waste management and air travel to goods consumption. Monitoring, measuring and reducing Scope 3 emissions across our value chains is complex, but every miner needs to be creating and building on the baseline audits that are our starting points.  

The bottom line is: We can make the switch to zero emissions and still retain profitability. The mining industry will survive and thrive, but only if we see zero emissions as an opportunity. The energy switch requires mining, and demand is greater than ever for critical minerals. At the end of the day, the industry needs to mine responsibly and face up the complex challenges of the next era.

 

ABOUT THIS COMPANY
Dassault Systèmes

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative 3D virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating virtual twin experiences of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform and applications, our customers push the boundaries of innovation, learning and production. Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 290,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production