FOREWORD
Prioritising
RESOURCEFUL MINING When considering the concept of resourceful mining, as opposed to mining our resources, the overarching idea is to look at more efficient, environmentally sustainable, and profitable mining operations that are of greater benefit to the wider community. By Lethabo Manamela*
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he ultimate goal is to get the ‘people-planetprofit’ triad in the right ratio. Energy use has a prominent role to play here, especially considering that: a) energy in the form of electricity is an essential resource critical to a mine’s operation; b) mining is incredibly energy-intensive; and c) the industry plays a huge role in South Africa’s economy, and is a large source of employment opportunities for our people. Unfortunately, we have experienced that consistent energy supply has long been a challenge in South Africa. Our national grid regularly struggles to keep up with demand, and this has had far-reaching impacts on the economy and many industries, including mining. Installing backup power for mining operations is no small feat, and is very expensive. A mine’s energy requirements go far beyond the abilities of a UPS and diesel generator. Mining operations in South Africa are unique, in that the turbulent energy landscape has driven our mining industries to be at the forefront of adopting energyefficient technologies. This has been spurred largely by the high price of electricity in South Africa, and our unstable energy supply. Added to that, the local mining market is far removed from foreign markets. This means that the cost of transporting commodities is a pain point for our mines, so they need to keep other costs as low as possible.
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Innovative mining sector All of these challenges have led to energy innovation in the mining sector. We are seeing mining companies continue to consider how to leverage the energy resources available to them to reduce their reliance on the grid, and the associated high energy costs. There has also been a trend of investing in energy in a manner that will benefit host communities long after the mines have closed. It sounds like the peopleplanet-profit triad is starting to gain traction. Unfortunately, renewable energy is not a comprehensive solution. It is not feasible that solar energy alone could meet the demands of a largescale mining operation. However, there is innovation on the horizon. Renewable energy can be used to create hydrogen, and this hydrogen can then be applied as fuel cell technology at the points on the mine where it is needed most. This revolutionises the green energy value chain and presents prominent opportunities for our country, our mines and our people. Hydrogen in the horizon Efforts are already under way in South Africa to leverage our hydrogen economy, with the Hydrogen Valley Project spearheaded by South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation. The collaboration agreement also includes energy and
