Green mining is not only green by name

The mining industry reaches various innovations. Innovations that minimize influences on the environment as well as reduce costs. One of the main goals that was set for the industry is reduction of the carbon dioxide. One of the answers to this call presents Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto aims to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This is in line with Scope 1 and Scope 2.

Solar plant in Kennecott copper mine

Recently Rio Tinto has almost completed construction on a new 5-megawatt solar power plant. The plant is being set up in the Kennecott copper mine in Utah. The solar panel investment will be finished in the coming weeks. It is calculated that 12800 solar panel power plants will enable the reduction of carbon dioxide of ca 3000 tonnes per year. The investment is the pilot project with a high possibility of expansion in the future.

Carbon dioxide reduction

According to Rio Tinto, shifting to sustainable energy solutions is a priority for Kennecott. The mine closed down its coal-fired power plant in 2019. Since then it has been moving towards electricity paired with renewable energy certificates. According to Rio Tinto, this resulted in a 65 percent reduction in its carbon footprint and the elimination of over 1 million tons of carbon dioxide output per year.

Nathan Foster said: “Rio Tinto Kennecott has a key role to play in supporting the energy transition. We supply U.S. companies with the copper and tellurium they need to produce solar panels, wind turbines, and conductors. We also continue to take steps to further decarbonize our business, from our battery electric vehicle trial to our renewable diesel trial and now to our very own solar plant.”

The location of the solar plant was carefully selected and evaluated within an assumption of mineralization of environmental and visual impact. Moreover, the surface of 30 acres has to be adjacent to other existing industrial operations, away from housing and commercial structures, and with earthen berms from the railway providing a visual barrier to most of the installation.

Importance of Kennecott mine

The importance of the Kennecott mine is due to the tellurium and cooper value chain. In 2022 Rio Tinto started the production of metals by mining and refining copper in Kennecott. This resulted in Rio Tinto being one of only two U.S. producers of this critical mineral.

*Source of the photo in the featured image: Rio Tinto Kennecott homepage.