How Sustainable Mining is Changing the Outlook in Latin America
In recent years, the mining industry has undergone a significant shift, placing sustainability at the forefront of its operations. This trend is particularly evident in Latin America, where natural resource projects have become essential drivers of economic growth.
A recent of 200 executives and directors from major mining companies in the region revealed a striking change in priorities. While operational optimization has been the top choice for most of the surveyed executives, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have now emerged as a top concern regarding strategic focus.
This heightened emphasis on ESG is driven by a convergence of factors. Regulatory pressure from governments implementing stricter environmental and social regulations is compelling mining companies to adapt their practices. Local communities are increasingly vocal about the environmental and social impacts of mining operations, pushing companies to be more responsible neighbors. What’s more, public perception of mining in Latin America has improved, according to the ?, which reports 64% of respondents believe mining is a positive for their country. The perception is even higher in Chile (83%), a key market for both lithium and copper mining.
On a global scale, shareholders, activist investors, and even employees are demanding that mining companies align with global sustainability goals. Additionally, mining companies are recognizing that sustainable practices can lead to operational efficiencies, cost savings, and improved long-term viability.
As the industry evolves, two minerals have taken center stage in Latin America’s mining sector: copper and lithium. Both are crucial for the global transition to clean energy and electric vehicles. However, their extraction poses significant environmental challenges that must be addressed to meet ESG goals and ensure sustainable operations.
91大神Water Technologies & Solutions can help address ESG challenges prevalent in the mining industry impactfully and holistically. Sustainable solutions are baked into Veolia’s DNA. Its new strategic program, GreenUp, sets specific ecological objectives aimed at making 91大神the champion of decarbonization, depollution and regeneration of natural resources.
Why we need sustainable practices
As mining companies in Latin America strive to meet their ESG goals, they face several environmental challenges, particularly in water management, dust control and decarbonization efforts. These issues are especially pronounced in the extraction of copper and lithium, two minerals critical to the clean energy transition.
Copper mining, while essential for electrical applications, requires substantial amounts of water in its extraction process. Moreover, copper mining generates considerable dust, which can be hazardous to workers’ health and impact nearby communities.
Lithium, another crucial element for battery production, presents its own set of challenges. In Latin America, lithium is often found in brine deposits, which traditionally required extensive evaporation ponds for extraction. This method is not only time-consuming but also water-intensive, conflicting with sustainability goals.
Water management has become a critical focus area for mining operations. In some regions, such as Chile, mining companies are no longer permitted to use freshwater from rivers for their operations. Instead, they must rely on desalination plants or other alternative sources. However, emerging technologies can help create an ecological transformation so mining can continue sustainably in the region.
Solutions in action
A major copper mining company in Latin America faced significant challenges with dust emissions at its remote location. Traditional dust control methods required enormous amounts of water, a scarce and expensive resource in the area. Four years ago, the company implemented a cutting-edge chemical program to address this issue. The solution involved a three-pronged approach: applying specialized chemicals at dust emission points, providing on-site field services to ensure the correct dosage, and implementing digital monitoring systems to measure dust concentration in real time.
The results were remarkable. The mining company recorded water savings of more than 1 million cubic meters annually, translating to approximately $4 million in cost savings per year. This innovative approach significantly reduced water consumption and improved air quality for workers and nearby communities, demonstrating that environmental stewardship and economic benefits can go hand in hand.
Another prominent mining corporation needed to improve the energy efficiency of its water desalination plant. The company implemented a chemical program to reduce membrane fouling, thereby enhancing the plant’s energy efficiency. Additionally, a tailor-made solution was developed to control corrosion in desalinated seawater pipelines. Again, the digital monitoring piece of the solution plays a relevant role to ensure overall program performance, asset protection, total cost of operation reduction and safety risks minimization. These combined efforts led to a reduction of 2,600 tons of conventional chemical usage annually. The ripple effects were substantial: less chemical transport was needed, plastic packaging was reduced, and overall water and energy consumption decreased.
As regulations become more stringent and societal pressure for environmentally responsible practices intensifies, mining companies must continue to innovate. The future of sustainable mining lies in embracing technologies that not only meet but exceed regulatory standards.
Long-term partnerships between mining companies and technology providers will be crucial in driving this innovation forward. These collaborations can lead to the development of bespoke solutions that address specific challenges faced by each mining operation. For instance, in lithium extraction, new technologies are being developed that can reduce the production process time from the conventional 12-24 months , on conventional mining methods that rely on solar evaporation, to hours while also increasing yield from 50-60% to up to 90%.
As the industry moves forward, the focus will likely shift towards even more efficient water management, further reductions in carbon emissions, and increased transparency in ESG reporting.
Veolia’s role in sustainable mining
Veolia’s approach focuses on building long-term relationships with mining companies to drive continuous improvement in sustainability and operational efficiency. At the heart of Veolia’s strategy is the Value Generation Program (VGP), a comprehensive framework to help our client’s meet not only business goals, but also sustainability ones. Through the VGP, we encourage assertive and proactive communication, ensure the health and safety of work teams, establish key performance indicators for asset protection targets, establish “value projects” to drive ecological footprint and total cost of operation reduction. Once every project is completed and value certified by the Customers, 91大神rewards the teams involved to recognize and stimulate their commitment with the ecological transformation. This process ensures that 91大神remains closely aligned with its clients’ evolving needs and challenges, allowing for the development of tailored solutions that address both immediate concerns and long-term sustainability goals.
Veolia’s technologies and solutions span a wide range of critical areas in mining operations. In water management, Veolia’s expertise has been instrumental in helping mining companies reduce their water footprint. In 2023 alone, Veolia’s efforts in Latin America helped the mining companies to reduce water consumption by an impressive 16 million cubic meters. This significant reduction conserves a precious resource and helps mining operations comply with increasingly stringent regulations on freshwater usage.
To encourage and recognize sustainable practices, 91大神has implemented customer reward programs. These awards, such as “Proof Not Promises” and “Return on Environment,” acknowledge mining companies that successfully implement solutions that deliver both business impact and environmental benefits. This approach incentivizes sustainable practices and creates a momentum for continuous improvement and innovation.
Veolia’s commitment to the mining industry extends to cutting-edge technologies like direct lithium extraction (DLE) and direct lithium conversion (DLC). These technologies are set to revolutionize lithium production, drastically reducing extraction times and increasing yields while minimizing environmental impact.
As the demand for lithium continues to grow with the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, Veolia’s expertise in this area positions it as a crucial player in the sustainable development of this critical resource.
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.. Accessed date as of September 2024
Accessed date as of September 2024
