a survey of sustainable development initiatives in the australian mining and minerals industry

A Survey of SustainableDevelopment Initiatives in theAustralian Mining and MineralsIndustryby TURLOUGH F. GUERIN

Shell Australia

INTRODUCTION

While superficially mining may appear to be unsus-tainable, in a global context mining plays an essentialpart in enabling people to meet their economic andsocial objectives [1]. The scope of the sustainabilityagenda fully integrates ecological, social and eco-nomic objectives in a way that provides bothchallenges and opportunities for the mining industry.

Central to sustainable development is thebalance between change and stability. The changeis about innovation with respect to the way land,resources, and people are managed, whereasstability relates to the fundamental processes ofthe economy, environment, and culture thatensure a long-term future for a mining operation.

Sustainable development in the minerals indus-try means that investments should be profitable,

technically appropriate, environmentally soundand socially responsible [2]. In applying these atan operational level, these equate to:

N Ensuring the preservation of biodiversityN Making efficient use of resourcesN Identifying and communicating with all stake-

holders and particularly strengthening relation-ships between mining operations and thecommunities in which they operate

N Reducing wastes and emissionsN Minimizing the footprints of operationsN Monitoring areas of potential impactN Reducing costs and maximizing returns

The Australian mining industry, through theMinerals Council of Australia (a member of theInternational Council of Mining and Metals orICMM), introduced a code of practice in 1996 to

Abstract

This paper describes 13 case studiesillustrating initiatives to embed sus-tainable development in the Australianminerals industry spanning a decadeand a half from 1990. For each casestudy, a brief background to themining site or mineral processingoperation is given, a description ofthe existing processes prior to imple-menting the initiatives, a description ofthe initiatives, and the drivers, barriersand conclusions drawn from each setof initiatives. The key outcomes fromthe case studies are that mineralscompanies in Australia are puttingsustainable development into opera-tion at their sites and these are asfollows: environmental and social

improvements at operations and com-munities in which they operate canrealize economic benefits and will notalways incur a major financial cost;local communities provide the meansby which a mining or minerals proces-sing operation can realize its fullpotential in contributing to a region’seconomic and social well-being;improvements to waste managementpractices and waste prevention, canlead to cost reductions and oftenincreased revenues; energy and waterefficiency improvements will beneeded by any mining company plan-ning to remain viable in the future,particularly in Australia; at the opera-tions level, there needs to be clear

commitment from senior managementto make the case for change to a moresustainable mining or minerals proces-sing operation; and mining companiesneed to work closely with businessesand suppliers to identify new processesthat increase the sustainability of theirbusinesses. The most commonlyemployed mechanisms for implement-ing sustainable development across the13 case studies surveyed were twoelements of cleaner production, tech-nology modification and on-site recy-cling (or re-use) of wastes (eachw60%), as well as stakeholder engage-ment (w50%).

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facilitate greater environmental stewardship acrossthe industry. In 2004, the Minerals Council ofAustralia (MCA) released a framework for sustain-able development called ‘Enduring Value’, whichfurther underpins the Australian industry’scommitment to sustainable development [3].Enduring value was based upon the ICMM’s 10principles of sustainable development publishedin May 2003.

An important means for making sustainabledevelopment operational is through the use ofcleaner production approaches [4–9]. Cleanerproduction is defined by the United NationsEnvironment Program as the ‘‘continuous applica-tion of an integrated preventive environmentalstrategy to increase eco-efficiency and reduce risksto humans and the environment’’. Cleaner pro-duction is about:

N Making more efficient use of materials and energyin a business

N Ongoing environmental improvementN Minimizing waste and emission generation, and

optimizing energy and materials useN Both ecological and economic benefit, andN Changes to processes, products and services

Cleaner production is a preventive strategy, and toimprove its success in contributing to a business’ssustainability, it should be linked to the coreactivities of the business [6, 7]. It includes workingefficiently and efficiency is the cornerstone of asuccessful business. Inefficiencies generateincreased waste but continued technologicaldevelopment can reduce this waste and potentiallyconvert it into a commercially valuable resource.There is always scope to improve the efficiency ofindustrial processes and this principle underpinsthe ISO standards for environmental and safetymanagement systems. Such an evolutionary orcontinuous improvement approach is generallybetter than a revolutionary approach, as peopleadapt better to gradual change. Continuousimprovement also reflects a commitment by anorganization to deal with problems, and seekimprovements, as an integrated part of its businessapproach.

Cleaner production techniques have been usedacross a range of industries. Examples of thisinclude:

N Good housekeeping, where attention to detailbrings rewards, and environmental andcleaner production considerations are part of a

cradle-to-grave approach with cleaner productionas the aim at every stage

N Equipment changes, using new equipment toachieve greater efficiencies, or using existingequipment more resourcefully

N Process improvements, e.g. linking smelter pro-duction to systems that monitor emissionscontinuously

N Procedural changes and training, where opera-tional changes can achieve results, or training canhelp change mindsets

N Formalizing management systems, e.g. system-izing previously ad hoc arrangements and clearlydefining roles and responsibilities at an operation

N Administrative controls, e.g. seeking performanceguarantees from suppliers of environmentally-critical equipment such as waste water treatmentplants

N Improved information flow and communications,e.g. providing environmental performance reports

Innovative opportunities for implementing clea-ner production principles include:

N Substituting more environmentally benignreagents in place of toxic ones (in terms ofenvironmental or human health) in variousmining and mineral processing activities

N Making product changes (if appropriate), e.g.changing the product to meet customer needs

N Process changes for more efficient energy or wateruse, e.g. use of high compression thickeners

N Manufacturing products of commercial valuefrom materials currently classified as wastes, e.g.processing smelter residues

N Inventory management, using the minimumquantity of material required for the task oroutsourcing the function

Further examples of opportunites for implement-ing cleaner production at mines are the wide rangeof environmental exposures that are typicallyencountered at mining operations. These are listedin Table 1.

The main elements of cleaner production, asapplied to the mining and the minerals industry[9–11], can be summarized as follows:

N Resource Use Optimization – this includes thecomprehensive utilization of the mined resourcethrough sequential mineral recovery, productionof useful by-products and conversion intogeochemically-stable residues for safe storage

N Input Substitution – such as the use of lesspolluting process reagents and equipment auxili-aries (such as lubricants, coolants and reagentswhich are available from reputable suppliers)

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12 MINERALS & ENERGY VOL 20 NOS 3–4 2006

N Technology Modifications – these includeimproved process automation, process optimiza-tion, equipment redesign and process substitution

N Good Housekeeping – this includes improve-ments in operational procedures and manage-ment in order to eliminate waste and emissions

N On-site Recycling (Recovery or Re-Use) – thisincludes for example the useful application ofprocess wastes (including emissions and processheat)

Further examples of the elements of cleaner

production in relation to the mining and minerals

industry, are given in Table 2 and presented in

Figure 1.

Cleaner production is an environmental

improvement strategy, which leads to specific

solutions applicable to any given business.

However, cleaner production also draws upon,and is linked to, social and economic drivers.Cleaner production is one of a number of ways inwhich an organization can move toward sustain-able development (Table 3). Cleaner productioncomplements life cycle analyses, product steward-ship, as well as social ‘tools’ including stakeholderengagement. Stakeholder engagement has becomeincreasingly important in the mining industry andis now being recognized by mining managers asbeing critical to being able to operate their mines[3]. The types of stakeholders relevant to miningoperations include local, state and federal govern-ments, communities, suppliers, and customers.The way in which relationships in the engagementare managed is critical to the sustainability of anymine or minerals processing company.

Table 1. Common Environmental and Regulatory Exposures Encountered at Mines and Mineral Processing Operations and whereCleaner Production Initiatives Can be Applied.

Type of Exposure Examples

Chemical and

Hydrocarbon

Management

Fuel storage areas without secondary/bunding containment

On-ground ground storage tanks that are not inspected or tested for leaks in their base

Underground storage tanks that have been removed or abandoned in place for

‘unknown’ reasons

Historic on-site spills and releases to the environment (especially with older mines)

Inadequate, out-of-date, or no emergency and spill response plans

Infrequent and undocumented preventative maintenance

Waste Management Obsolete and remote equipment storage yards where oil and other residual liquids have

percolated into the soil

Co-mingled wastes being disposed in overburden dumps or tailings ponds

Large tailings/waste rock piles leaching heavy metals which may enter surface or

groundwater

Inadequate auditing of hazardous and non-hazardous waste storage and handling

Inadequate inspection and supervision of waste disposal practices of contractors

Disused and leaking electrical equipment which may contain PCBs

Water Management Differential settlement of off-site buildings due to extensive pumping of groundwater

Contamination of local water supply from coal dewatering operations

Poor management of contaminated stormwater runoff from tailings or overburden

dumps

Air Emissions and Noise Fugitive dust released while handling and processing ore

Local noise problems from drilling and blasting operations and vehicle movements

Unpermitted venting of methane

Land Management Abandoned mines that have been improperly closed

Limited historical data on operations and environmental releases from older facilities

(especially if previously owned by another company)

Sustainable Development Initiatives in Australian Mining

MINERALS & ENERGY VOL 20 NOS 3–4 2006 13

SCOPE AND PURPOSE

This paper presents 13 case studies from the

Australian mining and minerals industries. Each of

these case studies demonstrates the commitment

of the individual organizations to improving their

triple bottom line, i.e. social, environmental and

financial performance. These case studies cover a

cross section of the Australian mining and minerals

sector and were undertaken over a 10–15 yearperiod from 1990.

The case studies specifically address the follow-ing areas at a mine or minerals processingoperation which provide major opportunities forimplementing sustainable development:

N Air emission managementN Dust management

Table 2. Applications of Cleaner Production in the Mining and Minerals Industry.

Cleaner

Production

Element

Application

Mining Minerals Processing

Resource Use

Optimization

Improved separation of overburden and

other wastes to produce higher purity ore

Sequential leaching to recover multiple

minerals/metals from ore

Conversion of process wastes and emissions

into useful by-products

Residue processing into geochemically stable

forms for safe storage

Input Substitution Review fluids selection across customer’s

fixed and mobile plant, e.g. to identify

opportunities for use of biodegradable

lubricants and hydraulic oils

Use of environmentally-friendly reagents

and process auxiliaries

Technology

Modification

Efficient mine design to minimize minerals

movement during operation and for closure

Alternative metallurgical processes (e.g.

biotechnological)

In-pit milling and separation Use of energy efficient fixed and mobile

plant

Design of mine refuelling facilities to

enable lowest cost and safe supply of

fuel to mobile plant

Application of fuel efficient furnaces and

boilers

Better monitoring and control of leaching

and recovery processes, to increase overall

recoveries

Good Housekeeping Monitoring and benchmarking of

haulage fleet fuel efficiency

Staff training and awareness

Staff training and awareness Spill and leak prevention e.g. hydraulic oil,

compressed air, water, chemicals

Spill and leak prevention e.g. the

management of petroleum hydrocarbons

Non-process waste segregation

Implement a maintenance strategy to

enhance reliability of plant

Lubricant cleanliness assessments and

management programmes that can reduce

plant failures

On Site Recycling Composting of green wastes to produce

heat/steam generation

Recovery and reprocessing of un-reacted ore

from processing waste

Re-use of overburden/waste rock in

progressive rehabilitation of mine site

Counter-current use of water for washing

operations

T.F. Guerin


N Energy and materials efficiency

N Waste water management

N Water efficiency

N Waste minimization

N Integrated sustainable development

For each case study, a brief background to the site

was given, a description of the existing processes

prior to implementing the initiatives, a description

of the sustainable development initiatives, and the

drivers, barriers and conclusions drawn from the

Table 3. Examples of Approaches and Tools for Studying, Implementing and Assessing Sustainable Development.

Approach Description

Cleaner Production Preventive environmental strategy to increase eco-

efficiency, involving the efficiency assessment of products,

systems and processes. Applications of this include

industrial ecology where the waste from one process (or

company) is used as a feedstock for another process (or

company). It can also include incorporation of

environmental concepts into a product or service at the

design stage

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) A qualitative and quantitative approach to identify and

calculate the impacts of a product or service from

production, through its use and beyond

Product Stewardship Cradle-to-grave responsibility for an organization’s

product or service

Stakeholder Engagement Stakeholder encompasses the range of individuals/

organizations affected, influenced or impacted by

businesses and those with potential themselves to

influence, impact or affect business. Engagement

potentially spans passive and active modes of engagement

including disclosure and transparency by businesses to

their stakeholders, and direct involvement, consultation or

partnership with stakeholders. Supplier engagement is an

example whereby a company works with its major

suppliers to assist the company achieve its goals for

sustainable development

Figure 1. Five Cleaner Production Approaches. Cleaner Production aims at making more efficient use of naturalresources (raw material, energy and water) and reducing the generation of wastes and emissions at the source. Thisis generally achieved through a combination of product modification, input substitution, technology modification, goodhousekeeping and (on-site) recovery, recycling and re-use.



initiatives at each of the 13 operations. Table 4provides a summary of the outcomes from the 13

case studies. The remainder of this paper describesin further detail each of these case studies.

It is the purpose of this paper to highlight thatsustainable development can be successfully

implemented at the operational level of a miningor minerals processing operation, using cleanerproduction tools and stakeholder engagement.

The paper focuses on the outcomes that wereachieved fromthe initiatives described in the case

studies and does not attempt to explain in detailthe methodology of how the sustainable develop-ment tools were implemented. The material used

in this paper has been drawn largely frompublished papers and internet websites and fromstudies that have been previously reported at MCA

conferences [3].

AIR EMISSION MANAGEMENT

Comalco’s Bell Bay Aluminium Smelter

Background

Comalco, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc, is a major

bauxite mining and aluminium smelting companywith operations in Australia and New Zealand.Comalco owns and operates an aluminium

smelter at Bell Bay, located on the Tamar Riverin northern Tasmania (Australia).

The Pre-Existing Process

The process of smelting aluminium is a contin-

uous operation. Fumes produced need to be‘scrubbed’ to remove fluoride. Prior to thecommissioning of dry scrubbing technology, the

smelter relied on wet scrubbing for the treatmentof potroom emissions, whereby alkaline liquor

was brought into contact with hot gases and thefluoride chemically removed. The wet scrubbingprocess had two stages. The first stage included a

cyclone for the removal of coarse particles, whichwere recycled back into the process by blending

with the primary alumina. Removal of particleswas inefficient. The fume passed through thecyclones, then passed through the second stage.

This essentially consisted of a series of watersprays. Water, with alkaline chemicals added,

contacts the fume and absorbs the hydrogenfluoride. The hydrogen fluoride laden water wasthen piped into a treatment plant, where fluoride

materials were removed by precipitating cryolite,using chemical reagents. The residual water was

later discharged into the Tamar River. Theprecipitated cryolite was dried to a solid using arotary kiln that burnt fuel oil before being recycledback into the smelting process. Cryolite was usedas an electrolyte in the chemical bath of thereduction cell or pot. With wet scrubbing, waterconsumption for the site was 90 ML per month.Up to 60 hours per month of downtime wasincurred for maintaining each of the six scrubbingsystems. Large amounts of chemical reagents wererequired to neutralize the hydrogen fluoride.

Description of the Case Study Initiatives

Dry scrubbing technology replaced wet scrubbingfor treating fumes from the smelter. Dry scrubbingis the most technologically advanced fume scrub-bing system available for the aluminium industry.Hydrogen fluoride is captured in a gaseous form tobe combined with alumina in a reactor. Thealumina absorbs the fluoride and returns fluoride-rich alumina to a silo ready for recycling into thesmelting process. In the early 1990s, existing dryscrubbing technology required the same aluminato be recycled many times in order to removesufficient quantities of the hydrogen fluoride. Thisresulted in higher operating costs and scaling,where alumina with small amounts of hydrogenfluoride and water would stick to steel surfaces,causing blockages and flow problems. The existingtechnology was complex. Obtaining good contactbetween the hydrogen fluoride and the alumina,moving the fume from the potlines to thescrubber, and transporting the alumina aroundthe site proved challenging.

In 1995 Comalco finished the first installationof its own dry scrubbing technology at its NewZealand aluminium smelter. Comalco’s ResearchCentre in Melbourne developed this technology.The pilot plant and the first full-scale commercialinstallation at the New Zealand smelter hadproved excellent contact between the aluminaand the hydrogen fluoride, and the alumina onlyneeded to pass through the system once (asapposed to several passes for alternative methods).

Dry scrubbing was installed at the Bell Baysmelter in 1997. In 1999 Comalco implementedplans to construct two more industrial fumescrubbers in its drive to continually improveenvironmental performance. The two projects atthe Bell Bay smelter involving green carbonfume scrubbing and carbon baking furnacefume scrubbing have an estimated capital cost of

T.F. Guerin


Table 4. Case Studies of Sustainable Development and Cleaner Production in the Australian Minerals Industry.

Case Study Focus Minerals Sector Company & Location Description of Case Study (Activity and Outcome)

Air Emission

Management

Aluminium Comalco Aluminium Limited –

Bell Bay Smelter, Tasmania

Introduction of dry-scrubbing technology initiated $AUD 11 M

in savings and contributed significantly to the local community.1

Dust Management Lime Blue Circle Southern Cement –

Marulan, NSW

Plant modifications enabled removal of fine dusts from the

process and the collection of the limestone dust for sale as

a by-product.2

Energy and Materials

Efficiency

Industrial Minerals Tiwest Joint Venture – Pigment Plant,

Kwinana, Western Australia

A new process to recover synthetic rutile uses waste hydrochloric

acid from a neighbouring company to produce ammonium

chloride for use in pigment production.3

Iluka Resources Limited Synthetic Rutile

Plant – Kwinana, Western Australia

The company investigated alternatives to waste gas streams to

wet scrubbing, adopting waste heat power and an electrostatic

precipitator. This technology required an additional $AUD

11 M to install. Modifications generate 6.5 MW of energy

returning 16% on capital saving $AUD 1.5 M annually.4

Coal BHP Billiton Coal – Illawarra region, NSW Capture of coal seam methane and piping it to surface where

it generates 94 MW of energy through electricity generation

(energy for 60,000 homes).5

Copper, Lead and Zinc Mount Isa Mines – Mt Isa,

Queensland (Xstrata)

A programme of innovations has enabled the company to open

a new mine and add new electricity-using activities while

cutting total annual electricity use, carbon dioxide emissions

and delaying the demand for a new power station.6

Process Wastewater Steel OneSteel Whyalla Steelworks –

South Australia

Reed beds were introduced for treatment of industrial waste water

to reduce water consumption and increase quality of discharged

water.7

Water Efficiency Copper and Uranium BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Mine –

Olympic Dam, South Australia

Production processes were modified so that less water is used in

flotation/separation of the minerals from the ore and recycling the

acidic liquids from mine tailings that historically had been

evaporated, and using highly saline mine water for drilling

and dust control.8

Sustain

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Develo

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Case Study Focus Minerals Sector Company & Location Description of Case Study (Activity and Outcome)

Waste Minimization Aluminium Alcoa Portland Aluminium –

Portland, Victoria

The site has achieved a significant reduction in the amount of waste

going to landfill by evaluating processes, gaining the commitment

of its workforce and combining these efforts with cleaner

production and waste minimizations concepts.9

Integrated

Sustainable

Development

Aluminium Alcoa World Alumina – Various

locations in Western Australia

Alcoa World Alumina has implemented a wide range of cleaner

production initiatives at its Western Australian bauxite mines and

alumina refineries, e.g. dust control measures have led to saving of

approximately $AUD 0.5 M annually.10

Gold Joint Venture between Delta Gold and

Placer Dome Granny Smith Mine – Laverton,

Western Australia

This mining venture has developed and introduced a unique blend

of sustainability practices, taking a holistic approach to mining

activities including creation of opportunities for remote indigenous

communities and reducing waste to landfill.11

Oxiana Golden Grove Operations –

Western Australia

Cleaner production initiatives have reduced pollution and waste,

improved energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Improved hydrocarbon management, rehabilitation and solid

waste management have halved the volume of waste requiring

landfill disposal.12

Diamonds Argyle Diamond Mine (Rio Tinto) –

Kununurra, Western Australia

This mine was threatened with closure in 2001. It is still operating

in 2006 as a result of efforts to create a new future implementing a

range of sustainable development initiatives.13

1. Anonymous[13]; 2. Anonymous [14]; 3. Anonymous [15]; 4. Anonymous [16]; 5. Anonymous [17]; 6. Anonymous [18]; 7. Anonymous [19]; 8. Anonymous [20];

9. Anonymous [21]; 10. Anonymous [22]; 11. Miles [23]; 12. Tyler [24]; 13. Stanton-Hicks [25].

Table 4. (Continued)

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$AUD 18–20 M. With the installation of dryscrubbing, Comalco has achieved the world’s bestpractice for potroom fume scrubbing technologyand reduced fluoride emission by 33%.

The $AUD 44 M dry scrubbing project has notonly delivered a significantly improved environ-mental performance, but is an inherently cleanerproduction process and the specific benefits aredescribed in the following paragraphs.

Financial benefits have been:

N Improved business viability through efficiencygains and lower cost performance

N Elimination of the use of chemicals required forwet scrubbing

N $AUD 5.0 M from reduced chemical usageN $AUD 4.5 M from recycling fluoride-rich alu-

mina, reducing aluminium fluoride costsN $AUD 0.5 M from reduced maintenanceN $AUD 1 M in miscellaneous savings as a result of

dry scrubbing including $AUD 0.25 M savings inwater consumption

N Total savings are estimated at $AUD 11 M peryear

Environmental benefits have been:

N 95% reduction in pot room-ducted fluorideemissions

N 70% overall reduction in the operation’s fluorideemissions

N 70% reduction in the operation’s waterconsumption

N Improved fluoride regulation requirementsN Negligible particulate emissionsN Reduced discharge of water into the Tamar RiverN Cleaner working environmentN Substantial reduction in chemical usageN Increased potroom fume removal rates have

improved the capture of process fume andsignificantly reduced fugitive emissions

N Significant increase in recycling of materials withthe operation having more than halved the use ofaluminium fluoride

N Kilograms of fluoride per tonne produced inpotlines reduced by more than 95%

The benefits to the community have included:

N Improved OH&S performanceN Capital expenditure for the project has meant

$AUD 18 M invested directly in Tasmania ofwhich $AUD 4 M was invested in the TamarValley region

N Aesthetic improvements as there are no moreplumes from multiple stacks

N Peak construction workforce of 200 during projectcommissioning

N Confirmation that the company is committed tocontinual improvement, particularly in environ-mental performance and is prepared to investsignificant capital in this area of operation.

Drivers, Barriers and Conclusions

A key driver for the process changes at the smelterwas to reduce costs and to improve environmentalperformance.

In the past, uncertainty surrounding the opera-tion’s future imposed constraints for site improve-ments; however, with a power supply agreementin place to extend the life of the Bell Bay operationto 2014, the investment of $AUD 44 M to providethe world’s best practice fume scrubbing technol-ogy was made possible.

All of the improvements to environmentalperformance and the benefits to the communityensure the continued and viable operation of thesmelter into the future. This means continuedemployment, and the economic benefits that flowfrom the smelter’s operation are likely to benefitTasmania for many years to come.

DUST MANAGEMENT

Blue Circle Southern Cement

Background

Blue Circle Southern Cement supplies limestone tocement plants at Berrima and Maldon as well as theBlueScope Steel’s operations at Port Kembla, all ofwhich are located in NSW, Australia. The mine has atotal production of 3 million tonnes per year. Themine has been in existence since 1929.

Dust generated from the operation either settleson the plant floor and equipment, which requiresregular cleaning, or is discharged to the atmo-sphere. The airborne dust poses a health hazard toworkers and can pose a problem for maintenanceat the operation.


Limestone rock is drilled, blasted, loaded andhauled from the open-cut mine to a processingplant where it is crushed and then dispatched inrail-trucks. The crushing plant consists of primary,secondary and tertiary crushers. The limestone istransported between crushing stations and todispatch silos by conveyors. As a result of thecrushing and conveying processes, a significant



amount of dust is generated. The primary andsecondary crushers are connected to baghouses tominimize direct dust emissions to the atmosphere.Both baghouses have collection hoppers, whichhold up to six tonnes of fine limestone dust. Thecollected dust is discharged periodically back ontothe conveyor system via an automatically con-trolled rotary valve and chute. However, as thecollected dust is very fine, a large portion of itbecomes airborne. Additional dust is generatedfrom this fine material at conveyor transfer pointsor at conveyor return rollers, where material thathas become lodged in small indentations in theconveyor surface is shaken off.

A Description of the Case Study Initiatives

The cleaner production initiative implemented atBlue Circle was relatively simple. A bypass chuteand second rotary valve were fitted to thecollection hoppers on the primary and secondarycrusher baghouses. The bypass chute was thenconnected to 1-t capacity bulker bags. Thisenabled the collected fines to be dischargeddirectly to a contained system and has substan-tially eliminated the generation of dust associatedwith the former practice. In addition, the collectedmaterial is now sold as a lime fertilizer.

The three main benefits from this cleanerproduction initiative are:

N A reduction in airborne dust particlesN A reduction in plant cleaning requirementsN Collection of a saleable product

Sale of the dust as lime fertilizer generates income of$AUD 25,000 annually (data for 1997). The costs ofthe modifications were only $AUD 3,500, giving apayback period of approximately two months.

A further upgrade involved the installation of alimestone treatment process. This converts lime-stone (calcium carbonate) to quicklime (calciumoxide) by heating the crushed limestone in akiln. Prior to the installation of the pre-heater, thelimestone feed entered the kiln at ambienttemperature. The pre-heater, which is fuelled bywaste gases fromthe kiln, raises the temperature ofthe limestone to 800˚C prior to entering the kiln.

The benefits of the change in the processing atthe operation are that:

N The limestone requires less time in the kilnN The oxidation reaction occurs more fully, result-

ing in superior product quality

N The fuel efficiency of the kiln is improved by 25%N The capacity of the kiln is increased by 40%

increasing production capacity


The drivers for the process change at the operationcame from the staff on the plant floor who wantedto reduce the hours involved in plant andequipment cleaning.

An initial barrier encountered was the occa-sional difficulty experienced by customers inunloading the bulker bags owing to moistureretention which caused the limestone dust to sethard. This problem was overcome through bulktransport of the dust in specially designed trucks tominimize this problem.

This case study demonstrates that relativelysmall-scale and low costs process changes andre-designs on an operating plant can leadto significant cost reduction, new revenuestreams and improved safety and environmentalperformance.

ENERGY AND MATERIALS EFFICIENCY

Tiwest’s Kwinana Pigment Plant

Background

Tiwest Joint Venture (Tiwest) is an equal jointventure between Ticor Resources Pty Ltd andKMCC Western Australia Pty Ltd. The operationsinclude: a titanium mine and wet processing plantat Cooljarloo (in Western Australia) producingtitanium minerals concentrate; road transport to adry separation plant at Chandala, 60 km north ofPerth, which produces ilmenite, rutile, zircon andleucoxene; a synthetic rutile plant at Chandala toupgrade ilmenite to synthetic rutile; a pigmentplant at Kwinana, south of Perth, convertingsynthetic rutile to titanium dioxide pigment;warehouses at Henderson, south of Perth, forstoring the pigment; and exporting and otherfacilities at the Kwinana port. The principal end-product, titanium dioxide pigment, has broadapplication in, for example, paint, plastics, paper,ink and pharmaceutical products.


The process was based on chloride technologyadopted during the 1980s and 1990s to improvepigment quality and reduce effluent rates. Usingfeedstock from the adjacent Chandala complex, theoperation reacts synthetic rutile with petroleum

T.F. Guerin


coke and chlorine in fluidized bed reactors orchlorinators. The reaction process produces tita-nium tetrachloride which is purified by conden-sation and fractional distillation. The remaininggases are systematically treated by scrubbing andincineration. Liquid effluent goes to the wastewater treatment plant and treated effluent goes toponds where further settlement takes place. Thetreated water from the ponds is discharged to theocean under strict environmental controls.

The next stage of the process uses a specialprocess for reacting titanium tetrachloride withsuperheated oxygen and support fuel to producebase titanium dioxide pigment. The base pigmentgoes through a finishing process which involvesmilling, classification, surface treatment, filtering,drying, micronizing and bagging. Various gradesof pigment are produced to meet market require-ments. Residue from the operation is separatedand returned to Cooljarloo where it is encased inspecially constructed clay lined pits and used aspart of the mine rehabilitation programme.


Various initiatives have been implemented underthe broad headings of energy, materials and waterefficiency. These are discussed in the followingsub-sections.

Energy Efficiency. A major initiative has beeninstalling a co-generation plant, commissionedin 1998 and owned by Western Power, anelectricity supply and distribution company inWestern Australia. A gas turbine generates elec-tricity and the exhaust gases which would haveotherwise been vented into the atmosphere areused to generate superheated steam for themicronizer, the final part of the productionprocess. The plant generates all of Tiwest’s powerrequirements plus surplus electricity for the south-west Western Australia interconnecting grid. It alsoreduces steam demand from the package boilersand reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Some ofthe other energy efficiency initiatives implementedinclude:

N Implementing a procedure to prevent excessivetemperature of superheated steam, which iswasted by subsequent cooling of the excess heat

N Tuning to prevent excessive burning of natural gason the waste gas incinerators when on minimumfire

N Tunnel driers tuned to prevent unnecessary over-heating of pigment

N Commissioning of a second waste gas incinerator,producing steam and thereby reducing demandfrom the central plant boilers

N Replacing the effluent pond transfer pump withan overflow weir

N Non-return valves on all sump pumps to elim-inate back flow and reduce the frequency ofoperation

N Reduced air puffer frequency on non-critical bagfilters in the pigment finishing section

N Improvements in process monitoring and control,reducing the requirement to re-process off-specification material

N Initiatives to reduce petroleum coke consumed bythe chlorination reaction included tightening feedcontrol and improving reaction efficiency

N Initiatives to reduce consumption of LPG assupport fuel for the oxidation reactors includedimproving LPG flow metering, monitoring oxida-tion reaction stability and improving combustionefficiency in the oxidizers

Materials Efficiency (Production of HydrochloricAcid). Dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl), generatedfrom scrubbing the gas stream from chlorination,was previously neutralized in the waste treatmentplant. Two initiatives were realized to recover theHCl. First, as acid recovery for sale, and secondly,for use as ammonium chloride at the Chandalaoperation. For this purpose, a second scrubber wasinstalled to produce HCl at a higher concentrationthat enabled its re-use as a low quality acid. In thisconversion process to ammonium chloride, wasteHCl is transferred to neighbouring CoogeeChemicals which converts it to ammoniumchloride and tankers it to Chandala for use inthe production of synthetic rutile. The cost of theammonium chloride to Tiwest is achieved at asignificantly lower cost than that previouslyimported.

Rutile Recovery Plant. The aim of this initiative hasbeen to recover synthetic rutile from processeffluent. After chlorination, all metallic chloridesgo to a sump and to the waste water treatmentplant. Overflow from the fluidized bed reactor isrich in unreacted synthetic rutile and petroleumcoke, but this went with the metal chlorides toeffluent treatment. A new plant was installed andcommissioned in 2000 to recover synthetic rutilefrom the effluent using hydrocyclones separating



according to particle size. The titanium-richfraction is filtered on a belt filter, washed, driedin a fluidized bed drier, and returned to thechlorinator with the normal input material. Thetitanium-poor fraction continues to the wastewater treatment plant.

Use of Supplementary Fuel. In 2001, a switch wasmade to using an alternative fuel that producesless water to react with the chlorine and form HCl.This has improved overall chlorine efficiency.

Water Efficiency. In 1995 Tiwest conducted a wateraudit, which identified opportunities for reducingscheme water consumption and identified areas forsavings and re-use. Successful projects haveincluded the commissioning of counter-currentwashing in pigment filtration, the re-use of micro-nizer condensate in pigment filtration, and theinstallation of a recovery tank for water re-use. Theuse of groundwater and reprocessed water arecurrently being pursued as part of the KwinanaWaste Water Recycling Plant. Specific water con-sumption has been cut by 50% since plant start-up.

Production of Hydrochloric Acid. In this example ofindustrial ecology there is mutual benefit for Tiwestand Coogee Chemicals. Tiwest benefits by having alocal means for re-using much of its waste HCl forsubsequent re-use in its operations, and saving theabove costs, especially of ammonium chloride.Coogee Chemicals benefits from being able toproduce ammonium chloride cheaply and havingan ongoing local supplier and customer.

Benefits have been achieved including:

N Cost savings in the use of ammonium chlorideN Reduced quantity of lime for neutralizationN Reduced waste for disposal

Rutile Recovery Plant. The rutile recovery plant isdesigned to recover up to 21,000 t per year ofunreacted synthetic rutile and coke (based on180,000 t per year) which equates to net savingsof approximately $AUD 31,000 per day on aninvestment of $AUD 6 M.


In addition to Tiwest’s commitment to environ-mental improvement, these initiatives have been

driven by cost, productivity and environmentalcompliance considerations and environmentalbenefits including reduced greenhouse gases.

There were initial barriers to implementing thistype of industrial ecology at the Kwinana indus-trial area. From 1990 to 2000, this type of synergybetween companies in Kwinana increased by morethan 5 times, indicating that the barriers wereovercome through increasing engagement amongcompanies in the area.

The case study demonstrates an effective exam-ple of industrial ecology and will be useful forother industrial areas, both within and external tothe minerals industry, in implementing sustain-able development.

Iluka Resources Limited

Background

Iluka is an international mining and mineralprocessing company. The company has operationsin Australia, the US and Indonesia and employsover 2500 people. The company has been miningand processing mineral sands in Western Australiafor over 40 years. A major project to more thandouble the capacity of the company’s syntheticrutile plant in North Capel, Western Australia, wasstarted in 1995. A significant component of thisproject was to be the handling and treatment ofhot waste gas from the plant, which ultimatelyresulted in the construction of a waste heatrecovery plant. The project was commissioned in1997.


Synthetic rutile is produced by removing ironfrom ilmenite in order to increase the titaniumcontent. Iluka uses the Becher process whichinvolves feeding the ilmenite ore into a rotarykiln to reduce the iron oxides to metallic iron. Theiron is precipitated as hydrated iron oxide, andalong with other impurities, is removed from thesynthetic rutile. The reductant used in the processis coal, which also acts as a fuel for the kiln. Theprocess results in a hot, dirty waste gas stream(primarily CO2), which needs to be treated beforeit can be released to the atmosphere.

The traditional pollution control method ofdealing with a waste gas stream, which is high inboth temperature and particulates, is to install awet scrubbing system. While such a system wouldcool the gas and remove the particulates, there are

T.F. Guerin


a number of environmental and economic

impacts associated with it. These include:

N High water consumption with water converted tosteam and released to the atmosphere resulting inloss of heat energy and water

N Generation of high particulate content and acidicliquid waste, which requires removal of solids andaddition of lime to neutralize it

N High energy consumption resulting in consump-tion of fossil fuels and generation of air emissions,including greenhouse gases

N High maintenance and operating costs as a resultof pumping of water and liquid waste, neutraliza-tion plant and cleaning and disposal of wastesolids


Iluka investigated alternatives to a wet scrubbing

system to determine whether there was a more

effective way of dealing with the waste gas stream.

The company adopted a technology modification

in the form of a waste heat power generation

facility and an electrostatic precipitator for the

removal of particulates. This waste heat powergeneration facility can also be considered on-site

recovery, as the company is recovering the heat

energy in the waste gas to produce electricity,

which is used on site, reducing the amount of

energy purchased.

A super-heater, boiler and economizer, capable

of producing about 30 t/h of steam, was designed,

constructed and commissioned. This super-heated

steam drives a fully condensing steam turbine

capable of producing about 6.5 MW of electricity

(after allowing for power to run plant auxiliaries).

As this was the first time a plant such as this had

been installed on a synthetic rutile plant in

Australia a number of challenges were encoun-

tered. These were addressed through the innova-

tion, originality and dedication of the operation

staff. The challenges included:

Dirty Waste Gas. The gas leaving the kiln has a very

high particulate load that can create erosion and

fouling problems on the gas side of the boiler

tubes. Deltec (USA), were engaged to design the

boiler. Design features adopted to reduce erosion

potential were increased tube wall thickness (by1.2 mm to 4.19 mm) and reduced gas velocity

through the boiler. To minimize fouling problems,

a three drum (one steam and two water drums)

boiler design was adopted. The two water drums areat the bottom allowing the boiler tubes to beinstalled vertically, hence reducing dust build-up. Inaddition, a gap between the two drums allows dustto fall into dust collection hoppers during cleaningoperations. There are no finned tubes in the super-heater, boiler or economizer, all of which reduce thebuild-up of dust.

Input Heat Variations. The gas generated by the kilnvaries widely in both flow and heat over shortperiods of time. By incorporating an over-sizedsteam drum, the effects of such wide variations areeffectively balanced out.

Maximizing Electricity Production. The waste gascontains high levels of SO2 and SO3 as a result ofthe sulphur required in the kiln. The waste gasmust therefore be kept at a temperature of greaterthan 150 C to prevent these compounds conden-sing out of the gas as sulphuric acid. Sulphuricacid is highly corrosive and would severelydamage downstream equipment such as theelectrostatic precipitator, fans, dampers and theexhaust stack.

A split economizer design was adopted toprevent corrosion while maximizing electricaloutput. The economizer ensures that the gastemperature remains above the acid dew pointuntil it reaches a condensate heater directly beforethe exhaust stack. The heat extracted fromthe gasin the condensate heater is used to preheat thecondensate entering the deaerator of the boiler,eliminating the use of steam for preheating andthus providing the capacity to generate an addi-tional 1 MW.

In addition to the energy benefits achievedthrough this design, were the cost savings. Byreducing the temperature of the gas immediatelybefore discharge through the exhaust, only the stackand the condensate heater had to be made ofexpensive duplex stainless steel (suitable for highlycorrosive environments). Another innovative aspectof the design that promotes maximum electricityoutput is the boiler cleaning system. Traditionalsteam soot blowers were installed to clean thesuper-heater, while an infrasonic blower wasinstalled to clean the boiler and economizer tubes.

Low Resistivity Dust. The dust contained in thewaste gas has a very low resistivity that is not ideal



for removal by an electrostatic precipitator.

However, by incorporating extra wide plate widths

and higher than normal plate voltages, the

manufacturer was able to guarantee dust removal.

Priority of Kiln Output. As the core business of the

plant is to produce synthetic rutile, it was

important that the waste heat recovery plant did

not dictate kiln operations. A waste gas bypass

system was installed to allow kiln operation

during maintenance shutdowns of the boiler.

During bypass operation, water sprays are used

to cool the waste gas from 900˚C (exit temperature

from the kiln) to about 200 C in order to protect

the electrostatic precipitator, ducts and fans. Such

cooling and the resulting thermal shock, if

performed in a traditional ducting lined refractory,

would result in cracking and dislodging of the

lining. The alternative adopted for the quench

tower was an internally insulated structure con-

sisting of an internal shingle plate construction

made from high temperature steel plates.

Quick Turbine Response. As already noted, the fuel

source for the waste heat recovery plant cannot be

controlled, so two operational modes had to be

adopted. In ‘connect’ mode, the turbine is

controlled by the inlet pressure and electricity

generation is maximized by matching the heat

output of the boiler. In ‘island’ mode, control is

based on speed and steam bypass, dumping excess

steam to match electricity generation with the

plant load. Rather than installing the traditional

stand-alone electronic turbine speed controllers,

the turbine controls have been incorporated into

the overall digital control system (DCS) for the

waste heat recovery plant. Having the two systems

fully integrated allows fast response to operational

changes, and automatic changeover from one

control mode to the other.

Safe and Reliable Connection to the Electricity Grid.

Digital high voltage protection relays were required

for the connection of the system to the main

electricity grid in this region of the state. This

included distance protection, generator protection,

transformer protection and protection against pole

slipping on the generator. The relays are linked back

to the main DCS for the plant, providing extensive

monitoring and status information, and allowing

disconnection and reconnection with the electricitygrid as required.

The total cost of the waste heat recovery plantwas approximately $AUD 20 M and the expectedrate of return on the investment was 16%. Thiscompared favourably with the traditional wetscrubbing system that was expected to cost$AUD 9 M but had no financial return oninvestment. The plant now generates up to6.5 MW of electricity, with an average of5.5 MW. Of this, 4 MW is used in the newsynthetic rutile plant, 0.7 MW is used to run thewaste heat recovery plant auxiliaries, and anyexcess is used in other parts of the North Capeloperations. By avoiding the need to purchaseelectricity, and taking into account operationalcosts, the company is saving over $AUD 1.5 M peryear. With a payback time of eight years, and anexpected operating lifetime of over 25 years,savings will continue to accumulate after the planthas paid for itself.


As part of a major upgrade at the North Capelsynthetic rutile plant in 1995, the treatment of hotwaste gas became an important driver for thebusiness. Making use of the energy contained inthe waste stream, therefore, became a significantarea of focus for the operation.

The main barrier to the implementation of thisproject was the perceived risk of adopting a newtechnology, outside the company’s core business.Most businesses would agree that it is far easier toadopt the traditional, well established processes.However, this means that the benefits of newertechnologies are frequently overlooked. Iluka hadto review what financial and environmentalbenefits the project offered, and at how theycould minimize their exposure to risk.

This case study demonstrated how investmentin a waste recovery process would provide asignificantly higher financial return to the businesswhile also improving environmental performance.

BHP Billiton Coal Operations Illawara

Background

BHP Billiton Coal Illawarra operates four under-ground coal mines in and around the Illawarraregion of NSW, which is situated 75 km southof Sydney, NSW. Three of these mines, theAppin, Tower and West Cliff mines produce

T.F. Guerin


approximately 3.5 mt of coal per year. The coal is

primarily used for domestic steel making,

although some coking and energy coal is also

exported.


Gaseous methane is contained within subterra-

nean coal seams and is a potential explosion

hazard. Furthermore, methane is also a green-

house gas with high global warming potential and

was recognized as a wasted resource.

A Description of Case Study Initiatives

In 1995, BHP Billiton, in conjunction with Energy

Developments Limited and Lend Lease

Infrastructure, developed a power generation plant

that uses waste methane to generate up to 94 MW

of electricity. This is sufficient to provide energy to

60,000 homes. Supply of the fuel for electricity

generation is achieved by capturing methane from

within and below the coal seam (approximately

250 M m3 per year). It is piped to the generation

plants on the surface where it is distributed to a

series of modular gas engines that drive electrical

generators. Natural gas supplied by pipeline is

used as supplementary fuel in the event of a

shortfall in methane supply from the mines.


BHP Billiton pays a fee to Energy Developments

Limited to operate the generation plant; however,

the energy that is generated is sold by BHP Billiton

to the electricity grid. Some of the gas collection

costs incurred by BHP Billiton, which must be met

to allow mining to continue, are recovered in this

way. Methane drainage of the mines is required to

allow mining to continue safely. Utilization of the

methane provides an important energy resource

while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by

approximately 50%. This represents a reduction

in greenhouse gas output of the equivalent of

approximately 3 mt of CO2 per year. In addition

to providing an independent source of electricity

for the community and the mines, the utilization

of this otherwise wasted resource reduces the

amount of coal consumed by the New South

Wales power stations. The capture and utilization

of methane from coal seams provides a major

environmental benefit through reduced release

of greenhouse gases in the form of methane

emissions. This was also a significant driver inestablishing the project.

Difficulty in estimating future electricity prices,due to deregulation of the power industry, is a keyconsideration in determining the economic viabi-lity of the project. The power generation plant alsoemits oxides of nitrogen as a by-product of thecombustion process and these can contribute tothe formation of photochemical smog. A manage-ment plan for reducing nitrogen oxide emissionswhen ambient ozone levels approach target levelsis now in place at the operation.

This case study demonstrates how the use ofresources can be optimized, providing a newstream of income where there was previously awaste.

Xstrata Queensland

Background

Local discoveries of many new ore-bodies andexpansion of current operations meant the inevi-table increase in power demand for Xstrata’soperations in the Mount Isa Region ofQueensland, Australia. It also meant that Xstratahad either to invest in new generating capacity orutilize existing generating plant more effectively.More effective use meant that Xstrata was requiredto undertake rigorous energy management withinits own operations.

Pre-Existing Process

There were several processes on site that resultedin high levels of electrical energy use. These were:

N Operating a generator above ground to deliverelectricity at the mining operations

N A low efficiency underground cooling systemN No direct linkage made between what mine

operators did and energy usageN Skip hoists for bringing ore to the surface were

independently operated


Major reductions in energy consumption, peakdemands and greenhouse emissions were achievedby implementing initiatives in a number of areas.A 1000 kW impulse turbine (a turbine which useshigh pressure water driven bucket wheel princi-ples) and generating set was installed 1000munderground. Chilled water at 1˚C is discharged ataround 100 l/s down a vertical pipe from the



surface to underground. Prior to the installation ofthe set, the water gained around 2.5 C between thesurface inlet and the underground outlet, resultingin a temperature of 3.5˚C. The installation of theset not only generated emission-free electricalenergy, but re-cooled the water by 2 C down to1.5 C, reducing the chilled water requirement by11%. Running the set during times of peakdemand could also lower required generatingcapacity. Many of the mine cribrooms weresubsequently fitted with dedicated refrigerated airconditioners, reducing pumping costs and theneed for chilled water.

The twelve 1–2 MW axial ventilation fans onthe surface are mounted over vertical shafts, whichare typically 1000 m deep. Operation of the fans isto either extract or supply air to the undergroundworkings. The pitches of the fan blades areautomatically changed at regular intervals duringthe day by a process controller installed on thesurface. Fan blades are driven to minimum pitchduring times such as change of shifts, whenventilation of the whole mine is not required.

Dispersed throughout the mine are approxi-mately 1000 smaller ventilation fans, each fanhaving an average connected load of 11 kW. Thesefans increase general air movement undergroundand direct ventilation to priority areas. Many ofthe fans have been fitted with ripple frequencycontrollers.

Two North Queensland Electricity Corporation(NORQEB) owned and operated ripple frequencytransmitters inject into the NORQEB electricalreticulation control pulses at 750 Hz. Initiallythese transmitters were only used to controldomestic hot water heaters in the Mt. Isa cityand surrounding properties, which used off-peakelectricity supplied at a lower tariff. The transmit-ters are now used to control both the hot waterheaters and fans underground. Fans are turned offat the end of each shift.

Desynchronizing Skip Hoisting

The hoisting control systems of the R62 (lead mine)and U62 (copper mine) ore skips are operatedindependently. Coincidently, during their hoistingcycles, full copper and full lead skips would beaccelerated from rest at the same time. The mass ofeach skip containing ore is 40 t, the accelerationtime for both is about 20 seconds. This meant thatthere were random occurrences of high current,short duration demands on the generators. To allow

for these occasions, the maximum sustainable load

of the mine’s power station has been set at 5 MW

below the station’s maximum steady state generat-

ing capacity. The two winders are now controlled by

interconnected Programmable Logic Controllers

(PLCs) such that only one skip can be accelerated

from rest at a time.

It was realized that even greater energy efficiency

and reduced emissions would result if operators

were made more accountable for energy use. In

early 1997, a lease-wide personal computer based

energy and emission management system (PC:

EMS) was installed. PC:EMS was designed to allow

easy data input together with meaningful displays.

Plant operators are the key to PC:EMS. Plant

operators are set the task of entering daily opera-

tional forecasts at half-hour increments via their

terminals. In the central database, the forecast

demand and energy requirements are calculated

by multiplying the proportion of plant estimated to

be operating by the full load rating (MW) of the

plant.

Each plant operator, therefore, is able at any

time to see the energy and environmental costs of

running their plant, and any other plant, in

dollars, energy consumed in MWh, peak demand

in MW, and tonnes of CO2 emitted to generate the

necessary power. At present the target is for

forecasts to be within a band between 110% and

90% of actual. Because local operators may not be

immediately aware of influences outside their

control, their forecasts are subject to adjustment

by the PC:EMS Administrator. These adjusted or

final forecasts are then issued to the power station.

Final forecasts are usually within 105% and 95%

of the actual and are typically 104% of the actual

or measured value.

As a result of the initiatives, including cost

savings (Table 5), a number of conclusions can be

drawn:

N Reduced energy consumption – operators mustown reductions

N Improved operating practices – usually result notonly in lower operating costs but also improvedsafety awareness

N Lower maximum demand – better utilization ofgenerators ending in lower capacity charges

N Lower emissions – energy management ensures acompany does not exceed limits and allowsinvolvement in future emission reduction trading

N Long term survival – any industrial concernlacking energy management will have higher

T.F. Guerin


production costs than its more efficient competi-tors, low public esteem and suffer penalties forexceeding greenhouse emission limits

N Enhanced energy efficiency – energy managementleads to a profitable well run operation

N Accountable operations – increased efficiencycannot be attained without operators appreciatingthe costs of their actions


The company was subjected to increased market

competition with lower prices from the sale of

metals. In this context, a reduction in operating

costs was essential. The company was also looking

to meet growing environmental concerns interna-

tionally by reducing the CO2 emissions from its coal

and oil-fired generators and to postpone or re-

move the need for additional energy generation

capacity.

One of the main barriers was that ‘off-the-shelf’

software for the demand management initiative,

suitable for the company’s needs, could not be

found. Therefore the management team had to

write, install, debug, develop and commission

software while training operators in its use. The

operators were scattered over a large geographical

area. During operator training and equipment

commissioning, production had to continue.

In conclusion, Xstrata has implemented a

programme of innovations, which has, through

improved energy management, resulted in

reduced energy consumption and the postpone-

ment of further capital outlay for generating plant.

As a direct result, CO2 emissions have been

substantially reduced. The company has been able

to open the deepest mine in Australia, with all the

additional power requirements that entailed, and

still reduce total energy use. Carbon dioxide

emissions related to metal produced have fallen

by approximately 11% since 1995/96.

WASTE MINIMIZATION

Alcoa - Portland Aluminium

BackgroundThe Portland Smelter in south-western Victoria,Australia, produced its first aluminium in 1986upon commissioning of the first of two smeltingpotlines. The second potline, commissioned in1988, raised the intended production capacity ofthe plant’s 408 smelting pots to approximately320,000 t of primary aluminium per year.Portland Aluminium is currently a joint venturebetween Alcoa of Australia, Eastern Aluminium,the Chinese Government and the Japanese tradingcompany Marubeni. The smelter was designed andbuilt using Alcoa technology. On commis-sioning, the smelter was placed on a full produc-tion setting. However, because of the large sizeof the plant, considerable adjustment to designand processes was required in the early stages toachieve satisfactory performance. During thisstart-up phase, many of the raw materials usedin the aluminium production process endedup in the waste stream, contributing tow1000 m3 of waste going to landfill each monthduring 1989.

The Pre-Existing ProcessPortland Aluminium uses the ‘Hall/Heroult’ pro-cess to convert alumina to aluminium. Aluminaore (containing aluminium oxide) is subjected tohigh electric current in smelting pots. The elec-trical current passes from an anode through amolten bath of cryolite to a cathode whichremoves the oxide, leaving a cake of moltenaluminium. Substantial infrastructure surroundsthe complex chemical and physical aluminiumproduction process. Alumina, the major compo-nent in the process, is produced at the Alcoarefineries in Western Australia and delivered to

Table 5. Summary of Costs and Benefits of Energy Management Initiatives at Xstrata’s Mt Isa Mine.

InitiativeInvestment

($AUD)

Annual Savings

($AUD)

Deferred Expenditure

($AUD M)

Estimated Payback

Period

Turbine/Generating Set 1,000,000 450,000 2.5 v1 year

Air Conditioning 500,000 2,000,000 v2 months

Mine Processor 500,000 400,000 10.0 v1 year

‘Ripple Control’

Underground Ventilation

20,000600,000–500,000 7 weeks

Hoisting Modifications 20,000 13.0

PC:EMS1 300,000

1. PC:EMS reduced energy costs by 5% in its initial year of operation (1997/98).



Portland by sea. Carbon products that are

processed to produce 170,000 carbon anodes per

year are also delivered by sea. Electricity istransmitted 700 km from brown coal fired power

stations in the Latrobe Valley via a 500 KV tower

system. Natural gas is supplied by underground

pipeline primarily to fuel the anode baking

furnaces.

Raw materials are vacuum unloaded at the

wharf and conveyed to the plant 4.2 km away, via

an underground and overland enclosed beltconveyor. The final product from the process is

near-pure aluminium in the form of 22.5 kg

ingots.


In 1990, Portland set itself two basic, and at the

time, unique goals. The first objective was to have

no process materials going to landfill; the secondbeing to have zero general waste going to landfill

by the end of 1995. At the time that these goals

were set, the overall financial loss to landfill was

estimated at around $AUD 1.3 M per year.

Cleaner production initiatives were subsequentlyundertaken in the four key stages of the alumi-

nium production process – raw materials, elec-

trode, smelting, and casting.

Raw Materials. The raw material ship unloader atthe port uses a vacuum system. During certain

weather conditions and 24 h unloading opera-

tions, this system was capable of creating nuisance

noise in residential areas around the port.Silencing equipment has now been fitted to

alleviate this problem.

Considerable amounts of raw material, mainly

carbon and alumina, were lost at the transferpoints along the 4.2 km belt conveyor from the

wharf to the site storage silos. The spills resulted in

cross-contamination to the extent that recovery

was not possible and landfill the only option.Installation of vacuum duct systems at the con-

veyor transfer stations and the implementation of

a product recovery procedure after each product

shipment, have allowed raw materials to be

returned to the process. A further benefit of theinitiative is that system maintenance has been

reduced.

Poor handling practices for both anthracite andfluoride resulted in significant material spillage.

Ground contamination was a major concern.

Handling methods have now been revised using

designated bulk handling and storage silos, reducing

material loss and minimizing environmental risk.

Pencil pitch was formerly used in the alumi-

nium production process as a binding agent in the

making of carbon anodes. In its solid form, the

material required complicated and stringent mate-

rials handling and management practices. It had a

further disadvantage in that it needed to be melted

before it could be used. Pencil pitch has now been

replaced by liquid pitch, resulting in substantial

gains in efficiency and improved occupational

health and environmental practices.

Installation of a natural gas pipeline to Portland

Aluminium has improved process efficiencies,

optimized process control and eliminated the

need for on-site storage of gas. An assessment of

the use of natural gas as a fuel option for vehicles

has also been undertaken.

Electrode. The anode baking furnaces require major

maintenance after approximately 100 baking

cycles. Maintenance was traditionally done in-situ.

A method has been developed at Portland to allow

full units of wall sections to be pre-built off-site,

transported and installed with minimal need for

people to enter the hot baking furnace. Bricks

from carbon bake furnace re-builds are returned to

the manufacturer for reprocessing. New products

are manufactured from the recycled bricks and

sold back to Portland Aluminium or on the open

market. The aim of the furnace maintenance

initiative is to totally recycle all furnace compo-

nents to the specification standards for new

materials. Anodes consumed in the smelting

process are removed from the pots after about

four weeks. The spent anodes are transported from

the pot rooms in purpose built vehicles to reduce

the escape of emissions. Anodes are then placed in

a cooling tunnel, which allows fluoride-rich gases

to be passed through a filter system and recycled.

Smelting. After smelting pots have been relined,

placed in the potline and made ready for

commissioning, they are pre-baked using a natural

gas-fired baking system. This reduces start-up

stress, extends pot life and subsequently reduces

the amount of spent potlining material generated.

A specially designed dust and soundproof facility

has been constructed where smelting pot

shell demolition and maintenance is conducted.

T.F. Guerin


Specialized equipment has been developed toallow processing of large aluminium metal padsleft in the pots, and to recover for recycling, steelcathode bars, steel vapour barrier, and pot repairsteel.

The smelting pot reline facility allows severalpot shells to be rebuilt at once. Part of thisoperation is to prepare new cathodes for potinstallation. The cathodes have a steel electrodeglued into them. In heating up the pots, the gluegives off solvent gases into the working area of thepot rooms. Prior to pot start-up, the cathodes arebaked in a special purpose, state EPA-licensedfurnace. Volatile gases are collected and scrubbedwithin the furnace prior to atmospheric discharge.

A process has been developed in conjunctionwith Ausmelt, an Australian furnace developmentcompany, which is unique to the world alumi-nium smelting industry. It is projected that theprocess, once in full operation, will allow the oldlinings from smelting pots to be heat treated toremove residual cyanide and to recover thevaluable fluorides. These can then be recycledback into the smelting process. Preliminary trialsshow that by-products from the process have thepotential to be used in various civil industriesapplications. In the meantime, spent potliningmaterial destined to be recycled is being stored inspecial containers and buildings.

Major upgrades of the bath handling facility havereduced both occupational health and environ-mental risks. Bath products are recovered duringthe recycling of spent anodes from the smeltingpots. Traditionally, this caused an extremely dustywork environment. Dust has now been greatlyreduced and contained.

Casting. The quality and presentation of alumi-nium ingots is important to market acceptance. Acontinual effort is being made to reduce the levelof impurities in metal during smelting. Theinstallation of robots to skim ingots during castinghas complemented these efforts. Skimmingimproves surface quality, reduces the risk ofmoisture ingress during storage and transport,and the subsequent dangers during ingot re-melting. This task was previously performedmanually with operators exposed to risk of bothhot metal splashes and fumes.

All the above process improvements haveincreased the commercial returns to the plant.These improvements are highlighted below.

Raw MaterialsThe cost of material loss and waste disposal hasbeen reduced from over $AUD 1.3 M in 1990 toless than $AUD 0.2 M in 1997, increasing revenueby more than $AUD 1 M per year. Minimizing rawmaterial loss and substituting pencil pitch forliquid pitch have both led to significant energysavings and have improved process control andanode performance. The use of natural gas hasimproved baking efficiencies and reduced gaseousemissions from scrubbers. The goals that PortlandAluminium set itself in 1990, in relation tolandfill, have largely been achieved. Through thepursuit of efficiencies and implementation ofwaste reduction initiatives, waste going to landfillin 1992 had fallen to 1100 m3. In 1997, theamount of landfill waste was only 21 m3.

ElectrodeOff-site maintenance of the anode baking furnacesminimizes health and safety risks, increases furnacelife, and reduces the generation of refractory waste.Furthermore, by improving the quality of anode,smelting pot processing performance is enhanced.The initiative cost $AUD 9 M and has an estimatedpayback period of 6–8 years. Emissions have beensubstantially reduced as a result of the initiative.

SmeltingThe cost of refurbishing each smelting pot isbetween $AUD 80,000 and $AUD 100,000. In theprocess, approximately 100 t of spent potlining isgenerated, which requires treatment at a cost ofw$AUD 250 per tonne. Considerable savings arederived by extending pot life beyond the normalproduction period of 5000 days. The smelting potmaintenance processes developed by PortlandAluminium were designed to minimize downtimeand increase productivity.

Drivers, Barriers and ConclusionsWith so much raw material being wasted and goingto landfill in the early years of smelter operations,there was strong incentive to recover as much rawmaterial as possible to increase production revenue.

By setting such demanding goals of zero wastefrom the process and zero waste to landfill, thisprovided a cultural challenge to the operation.

Waste minimization has become an integral partof Portland Aluminium’s operations. The com-pany now actively embraces cleaner production



practices as a means of achieving improved processperformance in all aspects of its operations. Process

changes reflect the company’s commitment to itsenvironmental, health and safety policies. The

Portland smelter has set many process bench-marks, strengthening its competitive position inthe world aluminium market. Waste management

and cleaner production tools have provided thevehicle for competitive change, impacting strongly

on the economic viability of the plant whilereducing environmental risk and creating a health-ier and safer working environment. Portland

Aluminium’s methods are now used by othersmelters to obtain improved performance, reduce

emissions, and lessen health and safety risks.

INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Alcoa World Alumina

Background

Alcoa World Alumina Australia is a trading nameof the unlisted public company, Alcoa of Australia

Limited. The company owns and operates aluminarefineries at Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup with

a combined capacity of 7.3 mt a year, equivalentto 15% of world demand. Alumina is exportedworldwide from shipping terminals at Kwinana

and Bunbury. Alcoa employs approximately 3700people at these operations in Western Australia.

Apart from refining, the company operates bauxitemines at Huntly and Willowdale in the DarlingRange south of Perth, which supply the three

refineries.


Access to bauxite is the keystone of Alcoa’sactivities in Australia. Darling Range bauxite is a

low-grade resource to which value is addedthrough refining and smelting. Bauxite is definedas any ore in the lease which has a content of more

than 27.5% aluminium oxide. Typically, it takesseven tonnes of Western Australian bauxite to

yield one tonne of aluminium.

At current rates of alumina production, 26 mt ofore is mined each year from the Huntly and

Willowdale mines. Darling Range bauxite is thelowest grade ore mined on a commercial scale

anywhere in the world, and requires substantialinvestment in a fleet of loaders, excavators, trucksand crushing and conveying equipment. At each

new mining area, approximately 0.5 metres oftopsoil and overburden is removed and conserved

for later rehabilitation, and the top 1–2 metres ofcemented caprock bauxite is drilled and blasted sothat it can be extracted along with the more friablebauxite below. Alcoa has developed a sophisticatedblast acoustic model to ensure that blasting noise iskept below acceptable levels. Four bulldozerssuccessfully ripped caprock at pits near neighbourswhere blasting would otherwise have been unac-ceptable. Once the ore has been broken, it is loadedonto haul trucks by excavators or front-end loadersand transported to primary crushers at the mines.Ore mined at Huntly is transported by conveyor tosupply the Pinjarra refinery and the Kwinanarailhead stockpile. From the stockpile, bauxite israiled to the Kwinana Refinery. Bauxite from theWillowdale mine is conveyed to the Wageruprefinery.

Alcoa operates a three-refinery system inWestern Australia between the capital city, Perth,and the port of Bunbury, 200 km to the south.The bauxite is fed via conveyors to the aluminarefineries where it is subjected to the Bayer processto produce alumina. Alumina is a white granularmaterial, a little less coarse than table salt.Aluminium must first be refined from bauxite inits oxide form. The Bayer refining process used byalumina refineries worldwide, involves 1) diges-tion, 2) clarification, 3) precipitation and 4)calcination. Alcoa’s Kwinana refinery, whichbegan operating in 1963, has a current ratedcapacity of 1.9 mt a year. The Pinjarra refinery isone of the world’s biggest with a capacity of3.2 mt, and Wagerup has a capacity of 2.2 mt.

A Description of the Case Study InitiativesThe key elements of the initiatives undertaken atthe operation were as follows:

N Eco-efficient design including environment andsafety risk assessment and minimization, reduc-tion or substitution of process inputs, eliminationof waste, and pollution prevention

N Integration of environmental considerations intoall business decision-making processes

N Implementation of standardized environmentalmanagement systems (to ISO 14001) emphasiz-ing continuous improvement

Detailed examples of these initiatives are includedin the following sections.

Improved Vessel Descaling Practices. In the past,explosives, jackhammers and high-pressure water

T.F. Guerin


have been used to remove scale from insideprocess tanks. These techniques are expensive,affect equipment availability, and can imposeserious injury and health risks. They produce largevolumes of waste product with associated soil andgroundwater contamination and waste disposalrisks. Caustic and acid wash methods associatedwith changed operating and maintenance prac-tices have now superseded these older techniques.

Improved Heat Exchanger Maintenance. Heatexchangers in the process become scaled-up(contaminated) and require regular maintenance.In the past, prior to de-scaling, the contents wereemptied to the concrete floor resulting in tempor-ary loss of process solutions (75 kl for each event),degradation of the concrete, safety issues and risksof soil and groundwater contamination. Now,cool, lower concentration water is used to pushthe process solution through the heat exchangersprior to drain-down. This saves costs and avoidsthe previous problems.

Improved Bauxite Quality. The contamination of therefinery liquor stream by organic compounds is amajor constraint on production. These organiccompounds originate with the bauxite. Duringmining, the topsoil and overburden is removedusing heavy equipment. Previously, pockets ofoverburden were mined along with the bauxite.Research indicated that this was a significantsource of organic compounds. Mining practiceswere modified to carefully remove all overburden,thereby reducing the input of these organiccompounds and subsequent waste.

Reduction in Fine Alumina Waste. Fine alumina isproduced by uncontrolled precipitation and pro-duct breakdown during materials handling. It iscaptured in electrostatic precipitators in calcina-tion. In the past, product quality specificationsresulted in the recycling of over 200,000 t per yearof fine alumina in three WA refineries. More thanhalf of this was lost to residue. Technology andproduct modifications led to waste reductionrefinements in precipitation control and calcinerdesign, as well as re-use of some of the superfinesas liquor burning feed medium, significantlyreducing the waste. After discussions with custo-mers, some relaxation in the product specificationfurther reduced the superfines recycle.

Oxalate Management. Sodium oxalate, an organicimpurity, is removed from the liquor stream as acrystalline material. In the past, it was eithertreated with lime and disposed of to residue areas,or incinerated in a rotary kiln. While recoveringsome of the sodium value with the oxalate, theseprocesses impose a range of health, safety andenvironmental risks. The sodium oxalate hasproved to be a useful reagent for vanadiumprocessing and it is being transported fromKwinana and Wagerup to Windamurra. Oxalatekilns at Kwinana and Wagerup have now beenshut down resulting in cost avoidance, energysavings and reduced emissions.

The benefits of the changes to the operationsdescribed for vessel descaling, improved bauxitequality, improved heat exchanger maintenance,reductions in fine alumina waste and oxalatemanagement are outlined below.

Vessel de-scaling:

N Reduced costs (capital cost $AUD 0.8 M withbenefits w$AUD 5 M per year)

N Reduced safety and environment risksN Major reductions in scale waste disposal

Improved bauxite quality:

N Improved production and reduced organicremoval, treatment and disposal (expensive andresults in health and environmental concerns)

N Savings w$AUD 10 M per yearN Reduction in fine alumina wasteN Net savings from waste reduction are estimated at

w$AUD 14 M per year

Improved heat exchanger maintenance:

N Reduced costs of product lossN Reduced concrete maintenanceN Reduced safety hazardsN Significant reduction in the high floor mainte-

nance costs

Oxalate management:

N Cost avoidanceN Energy savingN Reduced emissions from shutdown of oxalate

kilns

Drivers, Barriers and ConclusionsThe principle incentives for these initiatives werereduced costs.



There were, however, significant barriers to the

project. These were primarily that it was ‘‘too

hard’’ and that ‘‘everything had already been

tried’’. In both cases the impetus by the team,

and backing by management, led to successful

implementation of the initiatives described, which

has stimulated ongoing drivers for further

improvements.

This case study demonstrates how major eco-

nomic benefits can be accrued to a business by

making changes to existing methods for minerals

processing, by focusing on improving resource

utilization and enhancing waste management.

Granny Smith Gold Mine

Background

The Granny Smith Gold mine is a joint venture

between Delta Gold and Placer Dome. It is located

approximately 25 km south-southwest of the

township of Laverton in the north-eastern gold-

fields region of Western Australia. This mining

venture has developed and introduced a unique

blend of sustainability practices.


This was a typical mining operation that had

minimal interaction with the local communities in

which it operated. Employment of local indigen-

ous people in particular was relatively low and

there were relatively low levels of recognition of

the local community.


The sustainability approach taken by Granny

Smith ensures that significant steps continue to

be taken to encourage benefits in terms of

environmental, economic and social outcomes.

This approach applies to relations in both the

immediate vicinity of the mine site and with the

local community of Laverton. The result has been

substantially improved dialogue and cooperation

with this town of 500 people, a substantial

proportion of whom are Wongutha, the tradi-

tional custodians of the surrounding country. By

recognizing the importance of sustainability,

Granny Smith’s gold operations have introduced

a philosophy that recognizes economic potential

as only one of many values, such as social justice

and conservation, which can be nurtured in

concert with traditional business goals.

Community Engagement. Efforts to facilitate an

increase in local employment opportunities for

the indigenous people, in both the town itself and

on the mine site, have become a significant gauge

of social progress. Cultural initiatives that seek to

encourage and support opportunities for local

artists to display and sell their work have also

become a normal part of the mine’s development

strategy. It was therefore determined that local arts

and crafts such as weaving, painting, pottery,

wooden artefacts and carvings in the form of

traditional ‘tools of the trade’, such as shields and

boomerangs, would benefit from the construction

of a small tourist outlet to facilitate greater sales.

In this way, the evolving process of consultation

and implementation continues, with the result

that the mine’s sustainability strategy becomes

increasingly multi-dimensional. This is reflected in

similar experiences at other mines with similarly

advanced sustainability efforts underway.

The new satellite operation, named Wallaby,

has been under review since its discovery. In

conjunction with stakeholder consultation,

exploration processes have continued. New mine

development is currently underway. Of particular

importance, owing to the Wallaby site’s proximity

to Laverton, has been the series of proactive steps

taken to liaise with the local community. This

community consultation conduit will remain

open throughout the life of the mine.

The Laverton Leonora Cross-Cultural

Association (LLCCA) is working in conjunction

with other key supporters to achieve its commit-

ment to improve employment, retention and

training for Aboriginal people and to assist in

any community initiatives that seek to address the

socio-economic disadvantages suffered by abori-

ginal people. A central theme is maintaining the

flexibility necessary to accommodate cultural

differences and initiating mentoring courses.

Selected employees with superior people skills

are trained in communication and mentoring to

help guide new trainees. Since 1997, the LLCCA

has placed approximately 60 people per year, both

aboriginal and non-aboriginal into meaningful

full-time employment. Pre-employment training

has been provided for many others, as well as

assistance with resume writing and preparation.

Economic sustainability of a mining commu-

nity is a difficult issue. Ultimately, mines do close

and this can leave communities that have not

found other means of generating income with few

T.F. Guerin


options. Presently employment opportunities and

income filter through to the community. Efforts to

increase the penetration of this capital into the

local economy are helpful to both short-term

economic and longer term education and other

social prospects. However, innovation is another

means of harnessing previously undeveloped local

potential, peculiar to an area, and is essential to

providing a truly sustainable vision for an area.

With this in mind, the potential for olive farming,

tourism, and crafts sales (discussed previously in

this case study) are being investigated as part of

the overall project to provide real diversification of

the local community. Another project is the

current experimentation with various aquaculture

techniques. It is envisaged that experiments

currently underway will see discarded open pits

utilized for either commercial or recreational

aquaculture activities. Species including trout,

silver perch, black bream, barramundi, yabbies

and marron are currently being studied in order

to determine their suitability to local climatic

factors. All of these initiatives reflect the larger

sustainability effort being undertaken by Granny

Smith.

Land Rehabilitation. The current development of a

re-vegetation programme incorporates local com-

munity, social, economic, as well as environmental

aspects. This programme incorporates the tried and

tested seed, save-and-sow method, which is used

extensively on mining sites. The re-vegetation

programme involves planning and design for both

operations and closure at the outset. As progressive

decommissioning of sites occurs over the life of the

operation, re-vegetation follows in phases. The re-

vegetation strategy includes final forming of dis-

turbed land, planting schemes for tailings areas and

general rehabilitation of the Granny Smith location

as extraction operations shift to the Wallaby site. An

emphasis has been placed on ensuring that a wide

range of local species are seeded onto rehabilitation

areas after earthworks. The original plant species at

the dig site are de-seeded for propagation and

eventual reseeding. Finally, when mining opera-

tions are completed, the pits can be backfilled or

graded depending on cost.

Non-Process Waste Management. Granny Smith

initiated the ‘Ruggies’ recycling programme in

1997 to recycle waste materials previously

disposed of into landfills. Several mines have sincejoined the Ruggies programme and thousands oftonnes of waste have been recycled. The pro-gramme has also succeeded in cleaning up minesites. Steel from mill balls, copper from cables andaluminium from drink cans are just some of thewaste items that are now being recycled. Transportcontractors who once travelled to the mine siteswith full trucks and returned back to Perth empty,are now taking saleable cargoes back with them.The money raised from the Ruggies programmebenefits Western Australia’s only children’s hospitaland other charities in Western Australia. All thepeople working in the Ruggies recycling initiativeare doing so on a voluntary basis, reflecting thecommunity spirit of the programme.


A key driver for Granny Smith mine to improve itscommitment to sustainability was a need toengage more effectively with the community inwhich it operated. For most of the past centurythere have been few significant attempts tocultivate positive relations with local indigenouspeople. The gold mining industry has beenparticularly weak with respect to the employmentof aboriginal people. This has been a costlyoversight and has only recently begun to beaddressed. This case study highlights an exampleof this change in industry perspective to one thatviews gold mining as a potential major contribu-tor to remote rural areas. Through considering thewell-being of local communities, in addition tothe accepted needs for proper environmental andeconomic stewardship, isolated operations such asGranny Smith have made significant gains towardsthis goal in a relatively short period of time.

Argyle Diamond Mine

Background

The Argyle Diamond Mine is located in the remoteEast Kimberley region of Western Australia,upstream from Lake Argyle. The mine employsapproximately 750 people, of whom three-quarterswork at the mine site. There are approximately 150people employed in the Perth office, some of whomsort and polish the most valuable diamonds. Theremaining diamonds are shipped to Antwerp forsale, 90% of which are then sent to India for cuttingand polishing. Argyle helped to develop this Indianindustry, which currently employs some 750,000



people. From here the diamonds are sold around

the world to various markets. Some of these

markets, such as the market for champagne and

cognac diamonds, were created by Argyle through

marketing displays of attractively set diamonds of

different colours, created by world-class master

jewellers. The result is that over 90% of Argyle

diamonds are now sold as various grades of

gemstones. The local Kimberley component of this

is projected to increase as local employment,

education and contracting schemes contribute more

to growth over time.


Diamonds are usually found in kimberlite ‘pipes’

that have extruded and cooled rapidly during a

volcanic event. These ‘pipes’ can move around

during geological time, and when exposed to the

surface can have their diamonds washed off into

creek beds. The diamond pipe was becoming

harder and harder to access, meaning that the

mining operation was becoming less and less

viable. Management began to prepare the mine

for closure in 2001. In 2001, 88 mt of rock

yielding 10 mt of ore were excavated. The ore

was then transported to the primary crusher to

begin the refinement process, while the waste

rock was hauled to the waste dumps. Within

the processing plant the ore is crushed, scrubbed

and screened before gravity separation. The

final step separates the diamonds from the ore

by X-ray fluorescence, which picks out the

diamonds from their light flashes and fires an

arrow of air knocking the diamond into the clear

and collecting it.


In 1998 a new management team was given an

open brief to see if a future could be created for

the diamond mine. A process was begun entitled

‘Creating a Future’. The starting premise shifted at

this point from an acceptance that economics

determined the mine would close in 2001, to

asking what it would take to prolong the mine’s

life beyond that date. Rapid action was needed to

ensure that the window of opportunity was not

lost. Once the technical feasibility of future

mining was proven through to 2007, a positive

attitude within the new management’s ranks was

required to guarantee that project delivery dates

were met. Mobilizing the workforce to implement

this vision achieved a streamlined and successful

transition process.

Another innovation emerged as a secondary

benefit once the future of the project was ensured.

A huge amount of earth around the ore was cut

back to create the necessary access for the new

phase of mining. Prior to the extension of the life

of the mine, the focus had been on final

rehabilitation plans of the mine site. It had been

determined that the waste dumps would need

shoring up at an estimated cost of approximately

$AUD 50 M. With the new cutback creating

additional waste rock, this material itself could

be sorted and used to achieve this end at no real

cost greater than ordinary operations. This kind of

synergy is a hallmark of the new thinking that

ensured the continuation of mining at Argyle.

However, it also required substantial restructuring

across the entire mining operation as the next

phase of mining was going to produce fewer

diamonds from the same amount of rock.

To make its future operations viable, Argyle

needed to find productivity improvements and

efficiencies across the business. Among these was

the installation of new crushers, which enabled

greater profitability through capturing a much

higher percentage of Argyle’s smaller diamonds

through more precise separation of materials.

Many of these had previously slipped through

with the tailings.

An enhanced water management regime has

also created the potential for greater efficiencies, as

well as increased re-use. Greenhouse-friendly

hydropower from Lake Argyle currently provides

98% of Argyle’s power, with diesel generators

providing back-up power during peak periods of

use in Kununurra and other regional applications.

Some efficiency has been gained in diesel usage

from earthmoving equipment, through the intro-

duction of newer models; however, this remains a

major environmental and financial cost for the

mine.

The ecological and economic efficiency gains

were matched with human efficiency gains in the

workforce. Improved understanding of the con-

cept of sustainability and continuation of the

previous management’s improvement of work

practices, have combined to produce significantly

more cost effective diamond extraction. Thus,

plans have changed to enable diamonds to be

mined up to 2007, while creating the time needed

to assess the added possibility of extending the life

T.F. Guerin


of the mine further through underground opera-

tions. A rigorous underground feasibility study is

also underway. An underground operation has the

potential to add another decade or more to the

mine’s life. All of these managerial and efficiency

achievements are significant advancements in

sustainability, but they are only part of the set of

innovations that followed the decision to ‘Create a

Future’.

Waste Recycling. Programmes are in place to

manage, use and recycle waste resulting from the

mining operation, as well as the mining village.

Used oil from the lubrication of machinery and

vehicles is recycled. The market for the oil is found

in nearby communities and as far away as Darwin

(in the Northern Territory), allowing the opera-

tion of the plant, after initial costs are factored out,

to continue at no cost.

Waste from the Argyle settlement is separated in

colour-coded bins as a normal part of life in the

isolated mining camp and backloaded to Perth at

minimal cost. A culture of greater care among

employees has begun to take hold at the same

time that ecological gains are made through

recycling and greater transport efficiency.

Land Rehabilitation. An innovative approach that

has been adopted in the mining operations is the

rehabilitation of land that has been stripped for

alluvial mining. This process began in 1988. The

goal is to rehabilitate the area so that there is a

landscape with all the biodiversity of the micro-

ecosystems of the area re-established. Over 100 ha

a year is rehabilitated across former mined areas.

The process involves:

N Immediate soil replacement leading to selfseeding

N Contouring and deep ripping to ensure waterretention on the areas

N Gathering seed stocks through local harvestingN Developing nursery stocks of important speciesN Planting those areas where these particular species

are in low abundanceN Monitoring to ensure the areas are restored.

A breakthrough in this rehabilitation at the mine

came when it was discovered that many of the

important and rare species in the rehabilitation

sites were ‘bush tucker’ (i.e. edible plants) species

that the local Aboriginal community were keen to

see included in the rehabilitation programme.Thus they were invited to play a role in seedcollection to help in the development of nurseriesand to ensure that a full representation of theseimportant species was grown throughout the sites.There are more than 50 plants of ethno-botanicalsignificance in the area and these have beendocumented with the assistance of aboriginaltraditional owners, so that the value of the plantsfor nutrition, medicine and other householdapplications can be passed on to the community.The result of this approach has been an importantdevelopment of the relationship with the localGija (aboriginal) people.

Engagement with Aboriginal Community. The level oftrust within local communities surrounding themine has grown cautiously, through Argyle’sinvolvement in many community developmentprojects across the Kimberley region of WesternAustralia. This is a direct result of a deliberatepolicy that attempts to improve the proportion ofaboriginal people employed at the mine. With10% indigenous representation at present, Argyleis aiming to increase this to reflect Kimberleydemographics at 15%, as part of an overarchinglocal employment scheme that has a goal of 30%local employment by 2005. This change has notcome easily. It meant that the managementteam had to become aware of many subtlechanges in the culture of how people were hiredin the company. The approach of using writtenresumes and direct interviews (solely) is not used,as it was evident that this selected out manysuitable applicants in the past. The process nowinvolves a recruiting workshop, where people arebrought in for up to a week and slowly are able toadjust to living in the community. They are giventasks by an aboriginal instructor including trainingin truck driving at a mini-mine site. This processgives managers and superintendents the opportu-nity to observe potential employees involved in arange of team and individual activities, and toassess their skills in this way. These same peoplehave become the ‘champions’ of aboriginalemployment, working to mentor and supportnew aboriginal employees in the workplace.Training is also provided continuously oncepeople are employed. The culture gap is nowbeing bridged rather than ignored and/or accom-modated, resulting in greater trust and employ-ment retention rates.



Health and Safety. The development of a safe andhealthy work environment is an essential part of asustainable operation as it is basic for retaining theworkforce. Argyle has instituted a range ofprogrammes including:

N Fit for work (a set of rules that includes monitor-ing for substance abuse and alcohol as well ashealthy lifestyle commitments)

N Healthy Lifestyle Programme (promoting healthyeating habits and alternative fitness programmes)

N Employee Assistance Programme (psychologicaland emotional well-being services, monitoringand promotion)

N Plant safety (detailed courses and training formanagement in recognizing patterns of unsafework practices)

N Emergency response (fully trained teams arebased at Argyle, who assist with local emergenciesoutside the mine site)

N Health information (e.g. on skin care for cancerprevention)

The results for the mining operation have beendramatic reductions of total injuries, severity ofinjuries, and time lost to injury since 1998.Employee retention rates remain high relative tothe industry average.

Integration of Common Goals Between MineDepartments. Health and safety, environment,economic efficiency and community relationsbecome increasingly sustainable when integrated.This is one of the key process elements discoveredby Argyle in the process of ‘Creating a Future’. Thismeans that there is a structure to ensure that theseelements are all part of the one operation. Each isconsidered with respect to the others before majorsteps are taken, to maximize the benefits andavoid any potential problems. It also means thatthe process of decision-making must be able torecognize innovation at all levels of involvementin the company.

Drivers, Barriers and Conclusion

As Argyle mine was pending closure, drastic changeswere required across the mine to enable it tocontinue to operate. The drivers for the changesimplemented at the mine were the need to beinnovative and forward-thinking in their ideas, theirtechnology, and their management systems. Themine has reaped multiple benefits from integrat-ing environmental and social benefits into their

economic performance. Sustainability improve-ments will outlast the life of the mine and will beused by Argyle people in other mining operations.

Meanwhile, the community and the companygain from the investment in better practices in realeconomic, social and environmental terms. Thecompany has gained a reputation as a true asset tothe community in the future, a longer economic-ally viable lifetime, as well as a strategy that has itsown economic value. The community gains theeconomic support to continue to develop into thefuture by diversifying their activities along differ-ent lines with company assistance, while mini-mizing environmental and social impacts. TheArgyle Diamond Mine case study is a goodexample of sustainable development in mining,setting a standard for the synergistic achievementof economic, social and environmental goals.

Golden Grove Mine

Background

Oxiana owns the Golden Grove base and preciousmetals mine located in Western Australia, approxi-mately 350 km northeast of Perth. Oxianaacquired Golden Grove from Newmont MiningCorporation in July 2005. The mine producesconcentrates of zinc, copper, lead and preciousmetals. These are exported through the nearbyPort of Geraldton where they are sent to majorsmelters in Asia and Europe. Golden Groveincludes the Gossan Hill and the Scuddles under-ground mines. Separate concentrates of zinc,copper and precious metals are produced on site.Between 2001 and 2004, Golden Grove producedan annual average of 55,420 t of zinc, 25,070 t ofcopper, 1.3 M oz of silver and 15,476 oz of gold.Approximately 55% of the operations revenue isderived from the sale of zinc concentrates, about25% from copper concentrates and about 20%from gold, silver and lead.


The following aspects of the mine were limiting itssustainability prior to implementing its sustain-ability initiatives:

N The loss of product and revenue from spillage andemissions has historically been high at GoldenGrove

N An estimated 1000 t of concentrates with a valueexceeding $AUD 1 M were lost each year as windand airborne emissions

T.F. Guerin


N Poor practices such as depositing oily washpad sediment in areas receiving groundwaterinflow

N Pumping oily wash-pad water directly into themine water discharge dam

N The solvent degreasers were used on site forcleaning equipment

N Golden Grove discharged over 2 billion litres ofwater to a salt lake each year under rigorouslicense conditions


Containment of Spilt Product. Construction of astorage shed for concentrates in 1998, for exam-ple, gave a financial pay-back period for the $AUD1.5 M spent of 18 months. More importantly, itgreatly reduced the contamination of surroundingbush-land and soils with metal sulphides. Thiscontamination had caused significant vegetationdie-back and the acidified soils would not supportplant growth. The environmental and financialbenefits of the storage shed helped to justifyfurther expenditure on spillage containmentincluding a $AUD 1 M upgrade to spillagecontainment structures in the process plantcompleted in 2001. It also enabled operationalstaff to spend more time on operating the plantefficiently without the distraction of constantspillage clean-up.

Underground Hydrocarbon Management. GoldenGrove discharges over 2 billion litres of water toa salt lake each year under rigorous licenseconditions, including a requirement that oil andgrease contamination are less than 10 ppm. Themaintenance of clean discharge water is, therefore,fundamental to the company’s licence to operate.Mine discharge water is also used as processwater in the plant, and oil contamination willdramatically inhibit mineral flotation. Persistentoil contamination can therefore result in millionsof dollars worth of potentially recoverable productbeing lost to the tailings dam. The main source ofunderground oil contamination is hydraulichose failure. Hydraulic hose failures on loadersare common and can result in the immediateloss of 500 L of oil. In most cases, oil willspill directly into water being pumped out of themine.

When monitoring of oil and grease in dischargewater commenced in 2000, contamination levelsup to 30 ppm were common. This contamination

is thought to be at least partially responsible forthe intermittent poor performance of the plant atthat time. An improvement programme for under-ground hydrocarbon management commenced in2000. The programme included routine mainte-nance, checking and change-out of hydraulichoses at the first sign of cracking to minimizefailures, equipping underground machinery andworkshops with peat-based oil absorbent toimmediately clean up spills, and delivering hydro-carbon awareness training to all operators. Thereporting of underground oil spills as environ-mental incidents was introduced. A hydrocarbonaccounting system was also introduced to track oilusage and recovery.

The impact of the above measures was remark-ably successful with the average level of oil andgrease contamination in the discharge waterdecreasing from 10 ppm in 2000 to 2 ppm in2002 with 7 of the 12 months having undetectablelevels of contamination. Oil spills are reported byoperators and there is a general high awarenessand diligence in managing this issue in theworkplace. In early 2002, an ecological riskassessment on the impact of oils and greases inmine discharge water on Lake Wownaminya wascompleted. This assessment was based largely onindicator organisms such as dragon flies anddamsel flies. It indicated that the current level ofoil and grease contamination is having nodetectable impact on the ecological health of thelake and that the ecology could accommodateintermittent contamination levels of 10 ppmwhich would occur from time to time followinghydraulic hose failures on loaders. The WesternAustralian Department of EnvironmentalProtection subsequently approved a licenceamendment to increase the upper allowable levelof oil and grease from 5 ppm to 10 ppm. Theinternal target remains 5 ppm, but the risk of non-compliance for intermittent events not creatingsignificant or lasting harm has reduced greatly.The integrated focus on managing hydrocarbonsunderground has delivered environmental benefitfor the wetland system of Lake Wownaminya andfinancial benefit through the provision of cleanwater to the mill.

Land Contamination. Golden Grove currently hasspillage and emission controls to prevent landcontamination from acidic soil contaminated withmetal sulphides.



A large mass of sulphide-contaminated material

(w5000 t) from severely contaminated areas has

been excavated and placed in the tailings dam and

replaced with clean soil. Areas of lesser contam-

ination are being remediated in-situ with regard to

significant financial, energy and land disturbance

savings. In the past two years Golden Grove

has applied over 1000 t of lime to sulphide-

contaminated soil and the response has been

significant. Bare trees, thought to be dead, have

sprouted; foliage and seedlings are emerging in

areas that were recently bare acidic deserts. The

process of liming has been assisted by the strategic

placement of topsoil windrows directly planted

out with trees, and irrigated. In the past five years

Golden Grove has planted w10,000 seedlings.

The use of lime to reverse soil acidity is well

known in agriculture, but is not a technique

commonly used in the mining industry. The

in-situ liming of contaminated soils has already

reduced the final closure liability of the mine by

approximately $AUD 0.5 M.

Solid Waste Management. Golden Grove has

effective waste management procedures based on

the tiered approach of minimizing waste at the

source, maximizing recycling and appropriately

disposing of the remainder. The success of this

approach is reliant on workforce commitment,

which in turn is developed through a combination

of training, rewards and recognition, and making

staff and contractors accountable for non-

compliance with standards. Monthly work area

inspections have been a particularly effective tool

in this process. Each operational area is jointly

inspected monthly by a representative from the

environmental department and the area super-

visor and scored for performance on a range of

aspects including waste management. The best

performer on site receives an excellence certificate.

Poor performance over the course of the year

results in a poor performance appraisal, which is

linked to a bonus payment or, in the case of

contractors, to contract renewal. Competition for

the excellence certificates is intense.

Energy Management. Golden Grove has been

participating in the Australian Greenhouse

Challenge programme since 1999. The success of

Golden Grove’s energy efficiency programmes is a

good example of site performance enabling the

achievement of corporate targets. The eco-efficiencytarget for energy set by management for theoperation in 2001 was for a 10.9% improvementby 2004. Golden Grove’s reduction in kg of CO2 per

tonne of ore milled from 78.49 kg/tonne to68.25 kg/tonne from 2001 to 2002 was 13%. Themain reason for this improvement was improve-ment in mining efficiency. Waste rock, previouslybrought to the surface, is now being immediatelydeposited into available stopes underground. Thishas had the added advantage of limiting the

expansion of the waste rock stockpile, which willhave to be rehabilitated at the end of mining.

Drivers, Barriers and Conclusion

Drivers at the operation for improving the mine’ssustainability were to reduce emissions, reducewater contamination and wastage (through theuse of incentives), and to improve the processingof ore at the operation.

Barriers to implementing the initiativesdescribed included overcoming the culturalchanges to work differently.

The above initiatives at Golden Grove hadsignificant financial benefits for the company.This has facilitated management support forenvironmental programmes on site with a realiza-tion that environmental expenditure can give ahigh financial return on investment.

WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT

OneSteel Whyalla Steelworks

Background

The scarcity of water is an intrinsic part of life inmost of Australia. Better use and conservation of thisvital resource will improve the quality of life formany Australians, especially those who live andwork in the semi-arid regions. One such location isWhyalla in South Australia, where OneSteel’sWhyalla Steelworks has been operating since 1964.

In the year 2000, the Whyalla Steelworks (for-merly owned by BHP Steel) became a separate entitycalled OneSteel. The operation produces approxi-mately 1.2 mt of raw steel per annum, principallybillet steel feed for OneSteel’s operations in the

Newcastle region of NSW, Australia. Approximately35% of the operation’s raw steel production is alsoconverted to finished products for the constructionand rail industries. Iron ore for the steelworks issourced from 80 km away from OneSteel’s mines inthe South Middleback Ranges (South Australia).

T.F. Guerin



Water is essential to the operations of a steelworks,being used for cooling, cleaning, lubrication andnumerous other purposes. In Whyalla, it is a scarceand expensive resource. Studies over a number ofyears reviewed the steelworks and it was evidentthat there were unacceptable and unsustainablewaste water discharges into the Spencer Gulf.

A Description of the Case Study InitiativesIn Australia, reed beds have been used for stormwater run-off and sewage treatment, but little isknown about applications such as steelworks wastewater treatment. The Llanwern plant representedthe first reed bed technology trial on coke ovens’effluent. In soil-based reed bed systems, the effluentto be treated percolates through the biologicallyactive soil and roots of a large bed of reeds and thendrains through a pipe at the base of the bed. Thefunction of the reeds is to pump oxygen into the soilthrough the roots. Near the roots there is an aerobic(oxygen-containing) zone and further away, there isan anaerobic (oxygen-free) zone. Thus, within thesoil, a range of processes exists that allows thetransformation of environmentally undesirablecomponents of waste water.

Construction of the trial beds commenced inFebruary 1993. Surveys of reeds in the surround-ing areas were undertaken and information onreeds best suited to waste water treatment wasreviewed. Accordingly, five reed varieties, allAustralian native species, were selected to makeup the trial. Once the system was established theprocess of adapting the reeds to the effluent wasstarted. The trial lasted 18 months and paved theway for the planning of the full-scale system.

After the trials, a large scale (2 ha) trial systemwas constructed. Commissioning commenced in1997. This involved the adaptation of the plantsand biological life within the system to pollutantsin the waste water. Ongoing work is under way toincrease the effluent load removed by the reedbeds. Currently, in excess of 70% of the ammoniais removed from the treated coke ovens’ effluent,with removal of other organic and inorganicmaterials running at or above 90%.

The benefits of the process were:

N Improving the quality of OneSteel’s waste waterdischarges into the Spencer Gulf

N Future recovery of a valuable resource of freshwater for recycling on the plant

N Improving the quality of reclaimed land thatpreviously had no value in the coke ovens area,while improving the visual appearance of thatpart of the plant

N Reducing the impact of wind blown dust in anarea with no vegetation

N Providing a physical shield (for the steelworks)against the hot north winds during the summermonths


OneSteel needed to reduce water consumptionacross the steelworks and also required a moreefficient effluent treatment process for coke ovendischarges. Specifically, previous studies identifiedthe effluent from coke ovens as a significant sourceof organic matter and ammonia. OneSteel neededto reduce and/or eliminate these materials from itswaste water prior to discharging it.

Strong winds, dusty conditions, hot summerswith high evaporation rates, salts within the soiland water, have all posed problems at variousstages of implementing the waste water treatmentinitiative. These setbacks have gradually beenovercome through modifications to the design tosuit Whyalla’s environment.

The results of the trial to date, to a large extent,reflect the effort which has been put intomonitoring and managing the system. The reedbed waste water treatment system provides a lowcost solution (particularly in terms of mainte-nance) to the coke oven discharge problems, buthas also enhanced the environmental value of theland at the steelworks.

WATER EFFICIENCY

BHP Billiton Olympic Dam

Background

BHP Billiton owns underground reserves ofcopper, uranium, silver and gold at OlympicDam in South Australia. Approximately $AUD1.1 billion has been invested in this integratedunderground mine and processing plant to extractthese minerals. The operation produces refinedcopper, gold and silver, and uranium oxideconcentrate at this operation.

The mine is close to the rim of the GreatArtesian Basin, which covers 1.7 M km2 inCentral Australia. The basin is one of the largestsedimentary basins in the world. It is estimatedthat 425 ML of water flow into the SouthAustralian section of the basin each day. The



overall flow is so large that water underpressure seeps to the surface in mound springsthroughout several regions of arid South Australia.

These springs are of high conservation signifi-cance, and BHP Billiton has a comprehensivemonitoring programme for the springs andalso the bores in the south-west region of theBasin.


The mining operations use approximately13.4 ML of water a day (1998), while the nearby

town of Roxby Downs, which was built to supportthe operations, uses another 1.6 ML. RoxbyDowns has developed to be an important regionalcentre. In the 1980s, water was extracted from asingle borefield located 110 km from the mineand town. The water requires desalination beforeit is suitable for human consumption or can be

used for plant processes at Olympic Dam. Anextensive monitoring programme ensures thatimpacts on mound springs on the southern rimof the Great Artesian Basin are minimized. In1996, the company was granted permission tobegin drawing water from a second borefield a

further 90 km into the Basin. The goal was toreduce withdrawal pressures on the originalborefield and to ensure an additional watersupply for expansion of mine operations. Oneof the conditions for approval was that theoperation should monitor carefully the waterflows to nearby water mounds. Further, the

company is committed to minimize its with-drawals, to conserve water and to recycle wheneverpossible.


Since 1997, the overall approach to reducing waterconsumption at Olympic Dam has been to:

N Develop more efficient work practicesN Substitute lower quality recycled water where

practicableN Modify metallurgical processes to reduce water

consumption or increase water recovery.

Various processes have been modified so that lesswater is used in flotation and separation of theminerals from the ore. This has included:

N Use of high density thickeners to reduce waterpassing to the tailings system

N Recycling the acidic liquids from mine tailingsthat historically had been evaporated

N Using highly saline water which seeps from themine for drilling and dust control (water qualitybeing of lower concern in such instances)

N Implementing various other minor water conser-vation programmes, including re-use of washwaters

Since 1998, BHP Billiton has also worked closelywith the 3000 residents of Roxby Downs in waterconservation activities, such as:

N Providing trees, plants and drip irrigation systemsto households

N Encouraging use of and providing advice on aridzone gardens

N Fostering mulching to retain garden moistureN Introducing low water consumption trees and

shrubsN Recycling treated town effluent to the local golf

course and sports groundN Introducing synthetic turf for recreational useN Capturing and reusing storm water

The costs of water conservation initiatives withinthe plant are many times higher than the cost ofequivalent potential water savings in the pastoralindustry. The operation has therefore offered toassist pastoralists in the borefields region to moreefficiently utilize their water by providing assis-tance for the closure of boredrains and theirreplacement with piping, tank and trough systems.The response to this initiative has been wellreceived by pastoralists in the region. The poten-tial water savings identified are between 14.6 and23.8 ML per day. This is significantly greater thanany potential water savings available at the mineand town. The operation will continue to researchand develop methods to reduce consumption andto encourage water conservation through educa-tional programmes for employees and otherRoxby Downs residents.


For individuals and companies living and operat-ing in an arid climate such as South Australia,water conservation and management is an impor-tant consideration. BHP Billiton recognizes itsresponsibilities to assist with management of theGreat Artesian Basin and is strongly committed tominimizing its withdrawals, to conserve water andrecycle whenever possible. Because of the rela-tively high cost of water, the operation has

T.F. Guerin


considerable incentive to minimize its own use,and to encourage residents to do the same. As of1998, the unit cost of water for the project was$AUD 1.61 per kL for general process water, and$AUD 2.40 per kL for potable quality water. Thiscompares with the cost of $AUD 0.88 per kL,charged by the South Australian Government toother users. It was a company decision thatwater be sold to Roxby Downs residents at thesame rate as paid elsewhere in the state of SouthAustralia.

The main barriers to further water conservationare process constraints and the capital andoperating costs of recycling equipment. Owing tothe high cost of supply, the processing facilities atOlympic Dam were designed and built, and arebeing operated, to be efficient in the use of water.However, the continuous re-use of process waterresults in the build-up of salts (particularlychlorides) and other contaminants, which origi-nate either from the initial water source or fromthe ore or process chemicals used. Eventually theconcentrations of some salts and other contami-nants become so high that they have detrimentaleffects on process efficiency.

This case study provides an example of wheremodifications were made to the minerals separa-tion processes to substantially reduce water use.This type of innovation is critical for miningcompanies to remain sustainable, as water is oftena limiting factor in the viability of a miningoperation and the communities in which theyoperate.

REVIEW AND GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

The mining and minerals industry globally isembracing the concept of sustainability andexamining how it can contribute to the globaltransition to sustainability [11, 12]. The casestudies presented in this paper illustrate thatAustralia provides an example of the miningindustry identifying how it can contribute locally,through tangible benefits, to the global transitionof the industry to sustainability. The case studiespresented cover a wide range of the environ-mental, social, community and business issuesfacing modern mining operations in Australia.These case studies demonstrate:

N A need for an integrated response by miningcompanies to the environmental, social andeconomic impacts at their operations

N That different operations face different challenges,depending on the location of their operations,and indicates the need for mining operations towork with the natural environment in their area.For example, the BHP Billiton Olympic Dam casestudy illustrated measures undertaken to improvewater efficiency in remote regions, which sufferwater shortages

N The importance of mining operations workingwith and providing employment for indigenouscommunities. This is becoming an increasinglyimportant expectation for many mining compa-nies striving to be sustainable

N The financial, environmental and social benefitsof implementing sustainable development initia-tives can be significant, particularly when theimpacts are considered across a mine and theregion in which it is operating

N That there were relatively few examples where amining operation had engaged explicitly withsuppliers to enhance its own move towardssustainability. This suggests that there are barriersto the current way in which suppliers are engagedby mining operations and that these barriers needto be overcome before the benefits to sustain-ability, of closer engagement with suppliers, willbe realized.

The main mechanisms for implementing sustain-

able development in the case studies are given in

Table 6. Based on an analysis of these case studies,

the following observations can be made regarding

the use of cleaner production, LCA, product

stewardship and stakeholder engagement in the

Australian minerals industry:

N Technology modifications, including processequipment redesigns and on-site recycling (orrecovery), are the most common applications ofcleaner production tools with more than 60% ofthe 13 case studies using these approaches

N Stakeholder engagement was an importantapproach used with more than 50% of casestudies demonstrating its important role

N Resource use optimization was also an importantcleaner production tool with 46% of the reportedcase studies using this as a major means ofimplementing sustainable development initia-tives. This included optimization of how oreresources and other process raw materials areused, as well as improvements in how otherinputs were used including energy sourcesand chemical reagent inputs into downstreamprocesses

N Input substitution, good housekeeping, LCA andproduct stewardship were less prominent with less



than 35% of case studies demonstrating that theywere used for contributing to sustainable devel-opment at mining and minerals processingoperations

N Pigment production at the Tiwest Joint Venture inWestern Australia demonstrates an example wherenumerous tools for implementing sustainabledevelopment were effectively used in an inte-grated manner

N Coal seam methane capture at BHP Billiton’soperations in the Illawarra region of NSW, andefficient waste use at its Olympic Dam operationsin South Australia, both demonstrate opera-tions where cleaner production technologies andstakeholder engagement have been integratedeffectively

In summary, the case studies highlight thefollowing important messages regarding theAustralian minerals industry:

N Minerals companies in Australia are puttingsustainable development into operation at theirsites. The extent to which this is being done variesfrom operation to operation and it is reasonableto state that no one operation reviewed hasimplemented a fully sustainable operation.

N Environmental and social improvements at opera-tions and communities in which they operate, canrealize economic benefits and will not alwaysincur a major financial cost for a mining opera-tion or its corporate function.

N Local communities provide the means by which amining or minerals processing operation canrealize its full potential in contributing to aregion’s economic and social well-being.

N Improvements to waste management practicesand waste prevention can lead to cost reductionsand often increased revenues.

N Water efficiency improvements will be neededby any mining company planning to remainviable in the future, particularly in Australiawhere water is major limiting resource. Similarlyenergy efficiency improvements will also beimportant.

N At the operations level, there needs to beclear commitment from senior management tomake the case for change to a more sustainablemining or minerals processing operation. Suchcommitment is needed if effective operation-wideengagement and participation is sought for asustainable development initiative.

N Mining companies need to work closely withother businesses (e.g. neighbours) and suppliers

Table 6. A Comparison of the 13 Case Studies and the Specific Cleaner Production Tools and Other Approaches Employed at eachof these1.

T.F. Guerin


to identify new processes, products and knowl-edge that will increase the sustainability of theirbusinesses.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is grateful to Dr W. J. Altham, Western

Australian Government, for his assistance in

compiling case studies. The opinions herein are

those of the author and do not necessarily reflect

those of his employer, Shell Australia.

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Turlough F. GuerinShell Australia

NSW State OfficeP.O. Box 26

RosehillNSW

Australia

T.F. Guerin


a survey of sustainable development initiatives in the australian mining and minerals industry

Environment

sustainable mining

mining operations

mining companies

mining site

australian mining industry

global context mining

minerals companies

minerals proces