Bushfires find mining support

Red Cross volunteer provides essential psychosocial support to individuals affected by the bushfires.

Mining plays a part in bushfire relief

The fires that have swept across Australia over the summer months have spurred governments, businesses and individuals into action.

WWF-Australia estimates that more than 1.25 billion animals may have perished in the fires that have burnt more than 10 million hectares across the country.

The fires, indiscriminate to the Christmas and New Year’s period, have left a trail of missing individuals and others who have lost their homes.

The Australian Red Cross has collected $115 million in donations and the Salvation Army has received more than $40 million to aid the recovery (at the time of writing).

They are just two of the organisations that mining companies have extended their generosity to, with other beneficiaries including the Victorian Government Bushfire Appeal, New South Wales Rural Fire Service and RSPCA.

BHP social investment vehicle, BHP Foundation, has donated $2 million to the Australian Red Cross, $30,000 to Mallacoota relief and a $2 donation for every dollar donated by its employees to Red Cross, Rural Fire Service, SA Fire, RSPCA and the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES).

“The foundation’s donation will help Australian Red Cross provide immediate support through evacuation centres, psychological first aid and emergency assistance, including cash grants to people who have lost homes as well as support longer-term recovery programs in fire-affected communities,” according to BHP.

Rio Tinto has also donated a total of $1 million across multiple contributions to the Australian Red Cross to support emergency relief efforts.

Canada’s Kirkland Lake Gold has expressed the widespread impact of the bushfire crisis despite it not impacting the company’s operations.

“While our operations in Australia have not been affected by the recent bushfires, we have watched with great concern their devastating impact,” the company has tweeted.

“We are donating $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts and to A UNITED RESPONSE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY HAS PROVEN THAT THE SECTOR DOESN’T SHY AWAY IN THE FACE OF HEAT. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.

Firefighters try to control bushfires in extreme heat.

assist in funding new projects aimed at improving fire readiness.”

The MCA is proud of the financial and practical support its member companies have already extended.

“Australia has had a traumatic start to 2020 with bushfires in many states and the tragic loss of life, property and wildflife,” Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) chief executive Tania Constable says.

“The nation, including many MCA member companies, has rallied to provide practical and financial support – including donating time, money and services – to firefighters and affected communities.”

Mining companies have also taken creative approaches to providing emergency relief by using the existing resources to help those in need.

Dart Mining, for example, has converted a six-wheeler mine site water truck into a firefighting resource to protect the communities of Tindaldra and Wodonga in north-east Victoria.

Yancoal has made its residential properties available to people who have lost their homes, and to the fire services as temporary respite accommodation.

The range of support provided by the mining industry is so wide-ranging that, according to the MCA, a company like Downer has assisted the South Australia Koala rescue centre directly

by washing hundreds of kilograms of soiled laundry daily.

Meanwhile, multiple companies such as Dyno Nobel, CIMIC Group and Thiess have joined BHP and Rio Tinto in making leave entitlements available to employee bushfire volunteers.

“Our industry is a pillar of the Australian economy and a good contributor within regional communities nationwide,” Constable says. “Safety is the number one priority for the minerals industry and was the main priority for many members who were close to bushfire activity, including the mental health of their workforce.”

The sector’s involvement in Australia’s largest fires since the devastating 2009 Black Saturday in Victoria has extended to include the broader environmental issues that must be considered. Australia’s minerals industry agrees that a sustained global action, including practical actions to support Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, is required to reduce the risks of human-induced climate change, according to Constable.

“Australian mining businesses are working together to make our contribution to lowering emissions, including reducing the emissions from minerals extraction and processing, investment in low emission technology, energy efficiency initiatives and increasing the use of renewable energy in operations,” Constable says.

“The global transition to low emissions technologies – including solar, wind, batteries, gas, advanced coal and nuclear energy – depends on the metals and raw materials provided by the minerals sector.”

The MCA is preparing (at the time of writing) to release a Climate Action Plan that complements its members’ strong efforts in reducing their carbon emissions and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“A thriving minerals sector focussed on effective and pragmatic climate action is essential to mobilise the solutions required to address climate change,” Constable concludes.

Red Cross, alongside the Army and Air Force, provides cut-off communities in Victoria with care-packages.