Nickel -, cobalt -, copper – with the availability of this and other ore minerals is a matter of energy transition. Because you are stuck in batteries, wind turbines and power lines. However, these raw materials are, in part, promote rar and at times difficult. “The life of our current mines in Sudbury, Canada will last until 2020, respectively, in 2022,” says Scott Yarrow, Vice-President for the sustainable development of the Nickel Department at Glencore . With Recycling alone, the demand by far not cover.

For more ore left, to appear the last time because of allegations of corruption and polluting emissions often criticized the Swiss commodities giant is now a new way: In Sudbury, he wants deeper Nickel deposits using electric and therefore emission-free scoops to tap into. So decide according to the calculations of Glencore, compared to a conventionally powered Mine 40 to 50 percent energy savings. “Without the use of electric vehicles, the promotion of these resources would not be economically feasible,” says Scott Yarrow.

Mine must less be vented

The raw materials go back in Sudbury at a special event: The approximately 120 km long and 60 km wide Sudbury basin formed millions of years ago due to the decline of a meteorite. Is mined today in the edges of the impact crater. So far, the mines in Canada, South-East to a depth of about 1.8 kilometers. At the Onaping Mine in the North-West of the Sudbury basin are already since the 1990s, Nickel is known to occur in approximately 2.5 kilometers depth. “We know exactly where these Deposits are, to know the composition and concentration,” says Yarrow. “We want to focus, in the framework of the project, Onaping Depth now. It is a big but, the technological challenge of reducing ores at this depth.” This is because the meteorite weakened the strength of the soil. The access tunnels have to be carefully stabilized. “Already in the existing mines, and it is 1.8 kilometers deep, that’s a big challenge,” says Yarrow. “In 2.5 km depth, much larger forces are applied. This is the point where the battery-electric concept is important.”

The vehicles could finish the layer with a higher battery charge
as they had at the beginning.

unlike usual, the removal of the Deposit shall start from the top. The idle is around 38-ton Electric shovel will be loaded with about 14 tons of ore, and then drive shaft to the lower input of the Conveyor. The battery is charged. With an empty bucket, it’s back up to the mining area. According to the calculations of Glencore, the vehicles could end your shift with a higher battery charge than you had at the beginning of the layer.

it is Crucial that the use of battery allows powered shovel loaders other construction of the Mine. Since electric vehicles cause no local emissions, and barely generate heat, it must be vented to the Mine in comparison to the use of diesel vehicles is less. Because the amount of fresh air which is necessary to bring in the Mine, is directly proportional to the amount of diesel exhaust produced. Less air intake means, therefore, that shafts with a smaller diameter will suffice: Instead of 6.5 meters and 5 meters is sufficient. “The planned reduction of the shaft diameter by 23 per cent, reduced the construction costs significantly,” says Yarrow. Smaller shafts are also easier to stabilize than large. Overall, the saving in energy and construction costs, should cost 30 to 40 percent higher cost for the electric fleet to more than make up for it.

hurdle

“electric vehicles in the Mine to make the environment for the workers more pleasant,” says Yarrow. “Less noise, less exhaust, less vibration, less heat.” Peter Affolter from the Institute for energy and mobility research Bern University of applied Sciences, the project is very exciting. “At this depth, the temperatures are around 50 degrees Celsius. Since the use of electric shovel is veins is useful since this set is no addition of heat and an electric drive requires neither fresh air for the combustion process, toxic fumes.”

at Least one obstacle out of the project. Aktutell there are only models that the bucket can hold seven tons of Rock. Operate could Onaping Depth, but only if a shovel has a volume of 14 tons. “We run a certain risk, we assume that the larger Version is available, if we take the Mine into operation,” says Yarrow. This is supposed to be 2022. “We work closely with manufacturers to ensure that devices are developed with the necessary capacity in a timely manner.”

The driving force behind the project, access to new resources, Yarrow and not the intention to put a counter – weight to negative headlines to be emphasized. “If we find no possibility of new deposits in order to tap into the supply of metals for the Transition to environmentally friendly energies is called into question, seriously.”

confrontation: NGOs against Glencore

at the beginning of January, has visited the Federal Council, Ignazio Cassis of the controversial copper mine, the Mopani mine in Zambia, which is majority-owned by Glencore. Demonstrably suffered from the population around the smelter, and to the vapors of this acid factory Sulfur. In the meantime, a filter system is installed, the holding back, according to Glencore over 95 percent of the emissions. Only when the plants are about hazards after a power failure, high, could exceed the limits set out in the Glencore even for a short time.

non-governmental organizations accuse Mopani nevertheless, to put the health of residents at risk, not only because of the still-weekly-occurring sulfur emissions due to the Overload of the melting plant. So, the Foundation “solidarity Fund for the social struggles for liberation in the third world power – Solifonds” Mopani for the poor water quality. Aurora García of Solifonds area refers to measuring protocols of the Ministry of environment of Zambia from the village of Mufulira, where the copper mines are located. Therefore, water samples from the 9. January 2018 values of Cadmium, lead, and chlorine, which meet neither the Standards for drinking water of Zambia, nor those of the world health organization WHO. A sample of 28. December 2017, was loaded with viruses or bacteria.

recycled water

this addressed, Glencore, the Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) was authorized as the only Institution on behalf of the government to procure raw water, it is in accordance with recognized Standards to prepare and to supply the towns of Mufulira with drinking water. As a service to Mopani by the company MWSC deliver free of charge excess groundwater so that it is treated, and the municipalities provided could be. “Mopani is not for the treatment or supply of water for the population to be responsible,” said the opinion. Mopani to pay in addition for the drinking water, the refer, it is of the MWSC.

Solifonds sees less of the water conditioner Mulonga, rather than Mopani in the responsibility. “Mulonga is a ramshackle and bankrupt company is not able to make the water clean to recycle,” says García. “Mopani is the much stronger actor that could make a treatment of the water. For us, it is ethically untenable, a company is not treated water, can not afford the treatment.”

Joachim Laukenmann

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 23.01.2019, 21:40 PM