Mining operations and exploration activities have an impact on the natural environment. 29Metals is committed to managing the impact of our business operations responsibly.
In particular, 29Metals is focused on managing key environmental risks and improving environmental performance where necessary.
Key environmental management priorities for 29Metals include management of tailings, responsible use of natural resources (water in particular) and the impacts of climate change.
Tailings management
29Metals is committed to effective and responsible management of mining waste, in particular tailings storage. This includes designing, constructing, operating, closing and remediating our tailings storage facilities in a safe and environmentally responsible way.
Responsible use of natural resources
29Metals is committed to managing our impact on finite natural resources and protecting the environment through all stages of our business, from exploration through to development, operations, rehabilitation and closure. We integrate mine closure and progressive rehabilitation into the life-cycle of our operations to minimise our environmental legacies.
Impacts of climate change
The impacts of climate change are a global issue, and 29Metals recognises that it has a part to play. 29Metals is committed to contributing to the global effort to respond to the risks of climate change. 29Metals’ approach to climate change includes:
- a focus on copper:
– a critical input into the technologies at the heart of electrification, decarbonisation and the global transition to a greener economy; and
– lower life-cycle emissions relative to other battery component metals; and - 29Metals’ high-grade underground assets require less total material movement (and associated emissions) and result in less surface disturbance, relative to open pit mining operations of a similar scale.
In addition, 29Metals is committed to identifying and implementing strategies to reduce our energy usage and associated carbon emissions, including through:
- as part of 29Metals’ continuous improvement culture, reviewing mining and processing operations to identify and pursue opportunities to reduce energy intensity;
- exploring partnering opportunities with key suppliers and other industry participants, including the adoption of electric underground mining equipment in collaboration with other underground mining companies and equipment manufacturers;
- supporting alternative energy suppliers for 29Metals’ operating mines utilising a higher proportion of renewable energy sources; and
- improving data capture and analytics to enable 29Metals to facilitate a more targeted approach to reducing our carbon emissions.