circular economy in miningcircular economy in mining

The circular economy and its relevance for the mining industry The Circular Economy (CE) provides opportunities for better utilization of available resources ( Giurco et al., 2014b ; EMF, 2017 ). However, this only satisfies about 50% of current demand. The circular economy is poised to disrupt the mining industryand not just because of regulatory pressure. This need to demonstrate technological and economic viability is a key challenge for Scandium International, and it has put out a call for copper miners and processors to sign up for involvement in the project. How many Russians have left during war - and who are they? "The public are not in this space at the moment; I don't think they understand yet the full implications of the green revolution," the head of Earth sciences at London's Natural History Museum told BBC News. In order to advance the understanding of the potential value of circular economy in mining, Natural Resources Canada commissioned Alan Young and Maria Laura Barreto, directors at Materials Efficiency Research Group, and Karen Chovan, founder and CEO of Enviro Integration Strategies and chair of the Environmental & Social Responsibility Society of CIM, to deliver a report detailing the strategies and opportunities of taking a circular economy approach to mining. It aims to explore some of the opportunities and challenges linked to the EUs new strategy for securing the supply of CRMs, both inside and outside the EU. This both saved the used and surplus equipment from becoming waste, as well as reducing the demand for new materials for the companies who bought the equipment. One strategy that is being looked at is the circular economy a concept that looks to eliminate waste and pollution by generating value from normally wasteful processes. It is time to look beyond circular materials. The deployment of mechanical cutting instead of drill and blast, and sensor-based ore sorting are both parts of a move to a continuous, integrated process which allows diversion of waste at the source, less material hoisted to the surface, lower energy and water usage, and less tailings. Circular Economy in Mining Industry- Examples from Startups This collaboration entails the area of efficient and circular management of material resources and, in particular, of raw materials. Vale is developing a new sustainable source of silica made from the treatment of iron ore tailings, called Vales Sustainable Sand. European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, Contribute: submit content for the website. The concept of circular economy is founded upon interconnectedness. . The paper highlights the myriad ways in which mines can participate in and practice circular economy, from on site to beyond via partnerships, as well as through materials, equipment, infrastructure and land use. Extraction rates have to be raised, the scientists argue, if only in the short term. There is increasing pressure on the industry to identify and implement operational practices that reduce water use, increase efficiency and eliminate environmental impacts. Consultation decree brings Curipamba project closer to environmental permit, G Mining to power Brazilian gold project with renewable energy, Newmont to invest $540m to extend life of Cerro Negro operations, BHP and Microsoft collaborate on AI in copper extraction, Autonomous vehicles hold immense potential: SafeAI on the future of mining, Who's investing where? Circular Economy and Urban Mining: Resource Efficiency in the The sector also supports the promotion of Its widely accepted that the green energy transition is wholly dependent upon metals that the mining industry produces, and that circularity will be key in negating the effects of both extraction and consumption on the planet. As part of its research in developing Sustainable Sand, Vales Pico Blocks factory was the first-ever pilot plant for civil construction products made from tailings waste in 2020. Although recycling processes have potential for meeting some of the future demand for permanent magnets, they have not yet developed at scale in the EU due to several existing barriers. The use of the circular economy principle for mine waste is a mean to reduce liabilities and to increase the value from the mining waste ( Tayebi-Khorami et al., 2019) to recover both metals and mineral fraction ( Bodnan et al., 2021 ). To derive the maximum value from these initiatives, a comprehensive approach to circularity is required across businesses and across the mine lifecycle. One strategy that is being looked at is the "circular economy" - a concept that looks to eliminate waste and pollution by generating value from normally wasteful processes. This is why collaborative organizations like CMIC are important. The Circular Economy: What, Why, How and Where . It then looks at prospects for meeting future material demands through circularity for three technologies, namely lithium-ion batteries, wind turbines and fuel cell electric vehicles. Each mine is different, however, and thus there is no one-size-fits-all approach to what a circular economy-focused mine will look like. In this second part, we will explore our progress, and how true circularity can be achieved. The start-up is also bullish about the scalability of its solution, relying on a business model where local recyclers help collect electronic wasteand aid in distributing the recycled materials, potentially enabling the company to build its bio-refineries in any city with significant electronic waste with minimal up-front costs. Required fields are marked *. Moving from theory to practice is a similar challenge faced by Mint Innovation, a New Zealand technology start-up that uses microorganisms to recover metal from waste streams. How do you do less harm? Time to mine our minds: circular economy mindset for a - AusIMM Mining and the circular economy - Mining Journal Learn more about how we are rethinking mining. Moving the circular economy forward in the mining industry: Challenges Re-Thinking Mining Waste through an Integrative Approach Led by - MDPI We need to look at ourselves as borrowers of the land. This year's edition takes place between Saturday 3 June and Sunday 11 June. This heat and steam would otherwise be lost, but now equates to the energy use of approximately 16,000 households in the region. However, Herrington argued that revolutionising workflows and structures will make it easier to protect and reconstruct ecosystems, and incorporating inherent regeneration will mean that when extraction ends, the landscape is ready for the next lease holder. One way mining companies can help to reduce tailings while building a circular economy is through using tailings to produce something new. CMIC has created a platform for innovation that makes it easier accelerate the pace of innovation and move us towards solutions that we can commercialize across the sector. Scandium International is particularly reliant on this external support considering its own limited mining resources. Buildings and the circular economy: Estimating urban mining, recovery In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. It acts as a benchmark for ship recycling legislation around the world. How do you minimize the impact or mitigate stuff? Young said. A key source of lithium are salts from South America's Atacama desert, A beautiful specimen of lepidolite, an abundant lithium-bearing mineral, The prospect of seafloor mining troubles many people, Skutterudite is a mineral containing cobalt, as well as nickel and iron, A rare insight into Hitler's private life. and other companies within the supply network, including buyers and end-users. Examples include: World Economic Forum - Expert Working Groups and Communities (Circular Economy in the Built Environment, Net Zero Carbon Cities, Circular Economy and Value Chains) Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) - Expert Working Groups (Financial Assurance for Mine Reclamation and Closure, Mining and Circular Economy, Mine Waste Management) Panel speaker at . At the same time, the mining industry is equally looking to reduce or eliminate emissions and waste at their operations. The most common application of circular economy in mining currently involves reprocessing tailings materials in order to extract left over minerals, but according to Chovan, there are plenty more opportunities to take advantage of the resources available to a mining operation, for instance reusing or donating used equipment, but there is also an opportunity to make strides towards ESG goals as well. Then, with the development of circular economy at enterprise level as an example for constructing a system of circular economy at the coal mine enterprise [ 49 ]. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In contrast to the linear economy, the circular economy is an economic model that is restorative and regenerative by design. Urban Mining takes a holistic view of raw materials and how to best recover . As a material, stainless steel is a key ingredient of circular economy as it is 100% recyclable. Of course, better management of natural resources is just one way in which mines can benefit from circular principles. Creating a circular economy for batteries is crucial to prevent one of the solutions to the current environmental crisis becoming the cause of another. On October 7th, Coreo and the Circular Economy Leadership Coalition in collaboration with the Canadian Government hosted Mining for Circularity, a World Circular Economy Forum 2020 Online Side Event session. Mining and Metals. A circular economy (CE) is any economic system where waste is eliminated, and resources are continually used and reused. A2018 reportfound that over 1,000 tonnes of mercury was produced in the artisanal gold mining sector, due tothe metalsusein separatinggold from non-precious ores. Your email address will not be published. Reduce, reuse, recycle: A guide to circular economies of digital - APC All of the refinerys bauxite residue is now being processed through the filtration technology. VTT claims this system can take into accountfactors such aslocal access to mineral reserves, and will recommend an appropriate waste management system. All of the minerals are potential assets, Chovan said. Ideally, CE would fully remove the need for policy or regulations. What else can we do to bring value long term to these regions? The public will need to accept greater mining activity if the world is to meet the challenge of going green. How do you really move into closed loops? PDF The Circular Economy: What, Why, How and Where - OECD There is no single blueprint for how a fully circular mine should look, so weve explored all of the possibilities and how they can be pieced together to create a solution that works for each mine site.. As a result of this, we have created a scenario that is frequently referred to as a "take, make, and dispose of" world, where we promote a single use of materials and products, creating a one-directional model of mass production, mass consumption, and finally, disposalafter a single or limited-time use. Mapping the benefits of a circular economy | McKinsey This publication lays out the characteristics of a circular economy, and the current and potential future contributions of the mining and metals industry in such an economy. To do this we must tackle the platform technologies and processes of the industry that have the largest environmental footprint, such as those that consume energy and water. There has been growing debate about the extent to which mining of metals from natural sources should be expanded versus a focus on a "circular economy" through which reuse, remanufacturing or recycling could meet demand. The process removes the need for harmful substances,such as cyanide,to be used in the extraction process, which have been an industry standardbut pose significant risks to human health and environmental safety. It has developed eco-industrial parks in metallurgy/metal industries, eco-cities and small-scale waste-to-wealth creation strategies. Recovering these materials consumes less energy than obtaining them from virgin raw materials. Treat them as separate and, in time, the cog will fail to fit and turn in the way that it should. Frontiers | Toward circular and socially just urban mining in global M&A activity in the mining industry increased by 2% in Q1 2023, Whos acquiring who? Your email address will not be published. This third company has developed a water-based process to extract PGMs from catalytic converters, with up to 90% of the precious metals being recovered. Each kilometer of pavement can consume up to 7,000 tons of tailings, and the 425m long road at the Cau mine, in Itabira (MG), is expected to have a longer lifespan and reduced costs compared to the most commonly used materials for road construction, such as sand extracted from the environment. JX Nippon Mining & Metals specialises in the recycling of minor metals contained in lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in vehicles, household appliances, computers, and other consumer electronics. Herrington used the example of titanium to illustrate this: around 90% of titanium in circulation today is recycled. The mining industry is well positioned . As demand for minerals, particularly rare earths and other uncommon commodities, grows, this problem is set to only increase. Consider the rumpus presently about extending mining to the seafloor. The VERAM project, financed by The European Union (by the EUR 1.4 million) to the project is described. Norway produces almost 3% of global aluminium, 4% of global silicon and ferro-silicon, and more than 3% of global ferro-manganese . For example, using mine-impacted waters from the site in place of fresh water, or replacing fossil fuel-based power systems with renewable energy and hybrid electric options. CMIC's goal to transform mining to a zero-waste industry epitomizes the circular economy. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. As mining operations grow, so too does their waste production, despite the fact that many waste streams contain useful and even precious resources. The company has just completed a feasibility study on its Nyngan scandium mine in New South Wales, Australia, and is a firm with big ideas and significant belief in new technologies, but perhaps lacks the material facilities to put many of these ideas into practice. They help define the challenges that need to be addressed, re-frame what is possible and create new design principles based on the new paradigm. Russia is among the larger suppliers of raw materials to the EU. A project at an earlier stage of development, and one seeking, rather than benefitting from, industry support, is Scandium Internationals ion exchange project. This event on 15 June will bring together experts along the permanent magnets recycling chain and policy makers to discuss how to develop a recycling chain for rare earth permanent magnets in the EU. As part of our members commitment to the safe and responsible management of tailings, companies are also focused on innovation to reduce the volume of tailings that need to be stored. Solutions to these obstacles are required across and between social . Our industry needs to work collaboratively and engage across metals value chains to ensure that policy makers, product designers, and finance providers recognize the inherent suitability of metals for a circular economy, and that conditions are in place to prevent metals from becoming waste. The global recycling rate of waste from electronics (e-waste) is still low, at around 20 per cent, so there is great potential for metals companies to flourish in this area. Mining is big business, but also one of the worlds biggest polluters. Each tonne of sand produced represents one tonne less of tailings being disposed. Through this strategy of using waste to create new products, Vale reduces the amount of waste, usage of natural resource and carbon emission while also creating value. But first, lets take a look at the barriers and obstacles we face. Alcoa was the first major refiner in Australia to adapt press filtration technology, which uses pressure to separate liquids and solids, to manage bauxite residue at its Pinjarra and Kwinana alumina refiner in Western Australia. Malcolm Shang | Speaking at Mines and Money @ RESOURCING TOMORROW Since 2013, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation has provided a regulatory framework for the recycling of EU-flagged ships. Through this technology, the two refineries have the capability to reduce their freshwater use by a collective 2.2 gigaliters (581 million gallons) annually the equivalent of the amount of water needed to fill 880 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Click edit button to change this text. We round up some of the innovative projects approaches to tackling mining waste, and helping to push mining towards becoming a truly circular economy. The circular economy could unlock $4.5 trillion of economic growth and create 6 million new jobs through activities like recycling, repair and remanufacturing. Click edit button to change this text. This waste is of particular concern due to its often toxic content, with poisonous materials such as mercury a frequent by-product of mining operations. Our work will focus on defining the agenda for mining and metals in the circular economy. Very little lithium, graphite or cobalt (all important components in electric batteries) is recycled today. Most of these have mature supporting industries which could also benefit. The miner also noted that the technology could be used to extract other minerals, such as rare earth elements, but that this would depend on the financial viability of the process itself. For Outokumpu, circular economy is at the heart of its sustainability approach. Circular Economy is defined as "an economy where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, . The initiative will use ion exchange technology, a process usually usedin the purification of drinking water,where ions are moved between two electrolytes to separate a compound into its component parts. The project is also helping to promote diversity and inclusion, as all the concrete block factory processes are operated by women. ICMM, the International Council on Mining and Metals, has announced new research partnerships with institutions in different sectors that focus on the transition to a circular economy. Moving the circular economy forward in the mining industry: Challenges For example, the drill and blast process typically results in all material being hoisted to the surface for processing. Although its far from impossible, Ive read very little about the practical steps and strategies that mines (both new and existing) can take to incorporate circular principles into their operations. CMICs BluVein project is a joint venture between Sweden-based EVIAS and Australia-based Olitek. Thats all good and important, but theres a powerful sense that this is more of a transformation piece. Resource experts say the current supply of various metals and minerals cannot support a global economy producing net zero carbon emissions. 2015), which shows that there are still challenges to overcome. However, to keep global temperature rises to a minimum, more metals and mining are necessary. Circular economics, reprocessing waste and mining Its therefore important that this mining is done right. This technology also reduces land use. Boliden is also turning sulphuric acid, a by-product of the mining process, into a raw material which is used other companies in the KIP. Caesarean by phone light - giving birth in a warzone, How the Pakistani military feel about Imran Khan. The concept of the circular economy is an appealing model for the mining industry, as it offers a way to close the loop on resource use and waste. Miners can start taking small steps now toward an estimated US$4.5 trillion of 'circular economy' opportunities some expect to emerge over the next 15 years . In the circular economy, mining and metals companies face risks, but also an abundance of opportunities in areas ranging from recovery and recycling to product life extension to product-as-service. This week we are exploring the opportunities and progress we see in creating a mining industry that reflects the circular economy. EU Green Week. The market in mining is small, and our industry typically represents a small portion of our vendors business. Reaching net zero by 2050 is expected to require annual investments of around US$9.2 trillion [3]. As with so many initiatives, the key in making mining practices more circular will lie in steady progress. This leads to a reduction in usage of natural sand, which is the second most consumed natural resource in the world, and also, a reduction in carbon emissions compared with the use of natural sand. 8 December 2022, 07:00 - 08:15 GMT [23:00 - 00:15 PST] Kigali, Rwanda & Online. With platinum group metals (PGMs), base metals,and even rare commodities such as gold among these unintended by-products of mining, there areanumber of initiatives across the mining industry to improve the reclamation of resources, and push the sector towards a truly circular economy. For example, the global e-waste recycling market is expected to balloon six-fold by 2050, amplifying . I think that just one mindset shift would move things a long way, and that would be to place value on all the materials that they have to move, not just the target commodity that theyre producing. It addresses an initiative under the Canadian Mining and Metals Plan (CMMP), she told me. The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) is an association for minerals industry professionals. Some car companies say they will not accept any product from the ocean because of the damage this might do to the marine environment. Mining value from the Circular Economy - Circular Collective Nature special: The circular economy. Reframing what was once considered waste as a valuable source of materials is a core component of the circular economy. Mining is an industry that has, for some time, been reliant on linear pathways for products and services. However, on this occasion, I found a treasure trove of online resources that I felt would be helpful to share. In mine reclamation, shifting the focus from harm reduction to value generation could involve regenerating land for recreational, commercial, agricultural purposes and restoring natural ecological systems. The paper gives lots of practical examples on how that can be done. Mining digs into the circular economy. Mining and quarrying together with the process industry accounts for almost half of Norway's exports. Dutch circular economy specialist, Metabolic, won the tender for the project, with a budget of just 500,000 and a 10-year lease. However, to create feedback loops and ensure the continual flow of value in metals production requires a significant shift in mindset. Circular Economy and the triple bottom line in Norway Rather thancutting down on waste itself, companies areinvesting in new industrial processes to extract and re-use some of the useful materials that are often dumped among tonnes of less useful mining waste. Extracting embedded value from mining wastes to make the most out of stored geological resources, extending materials life and industrial symbiosis i.e. Innovative companies are more than willing to jump on board as these collaborative projects are strategically relevant to them. These recovered materials, including high-grade cobalt sulphate, nickel sulphate and lithium carbonate, are fed back into the supply chain for use in new products. Outokumpu introduces first-of-its-kind initiative bringing customers Copper, with its infinite life cycle, is a truly circular material. A little closer to home, the reinvigoration of historic mining districts like Cornwall in the UK, and Kiruna in Sweden, offer significant potential for sourcing minerals like lithium. This amounts to twice the current annual world production of cobalt (used in battery electrodes), an entire year's world production of neodymium (to make electric motor magnets) and three-quarters of the world production of lithium (battery electrolyte). It's time for construction to embrace the circular economy In 2020, for the first time, renewables have generated more electricity in the UK than fossil fuels and according to the . Resource scarcity and customer preferences for sustainable products will require industry players to consider their role in the recovery and recycling of scrap materials as a key pathway to low-carbon production. Waste management & Secondary Raw Materials, European Critical Raw Materials Regulation: Opportunities & Challenges for Stakeholders, European Critical Raw Materials Regulation webinar, Other (Critical Raw Materials Regulation), The Commission is consulting the general public and stakeholders on the Ship Recycling Regulation, Public consultation on the evaluation of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, World Circular Economy Forum 2023 (WCEF2023), Repair, Refurbishment, Remanufacture, Repurpose, https://rmis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/uploads/EEA-JRC-ETC_(2022)_RMIS_final_pub.pdf, European Commission | Joint Research Centre, Commission seeks views on the future European Critical Raw Materials Act, European Commission | European Critical Raw Materials Act, Claerhout Aluminium or how to make roofing circular, Construction, Buildings and Infrastructure, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation. But Prof Richard Herrington and colleagues believe an urgent conversation needs to get going on where and how the inevitable new extraction is practised.