In fact, a lot of ongoing waterproofing and water control is repairing or improving old infrastructure that is being persistently worn away by groundwater ingress damage.

When it comes to mining, there is less concern about complete waterproofing and long-term erosion. Instead, the focus is on controlling the flow of water to prevent flooding or damage to equipment, but importantly, to ensure the excavations are safe for the miners

Mining Technology spoke with Ross Dimmock, vice president for Europe and the Middle East at Normet Group, about what waterproofing options are available to mining and tunnelling industries and how Normet supports its customers.

According to Dimmock: “Overall, there are two common methods for waterproofing. For rock tunnelling or rock mining with lots of water in the ground, one way to prevent water ingress that is very popular with our customers in Scandinavia and Hong Kong, or any areas with high water pressures, is to actually inject the rock with micro cements before excavating through them.

“This process is called pre-excavation grouting and it uses a very fluid consistency cement paste with very fine cement particles, which they pump and squeeze at high pressures into all the cracks in the rock about 25 meters ahead of the tunnel, and they do this systematically as they go through the ground to construct the mine or tunnel.

“This grouting seals the ground and stops water running into the tunnel, so that’s a popular approach in rock tunnelling and certainly adopted for some mines that suffer from high water ingress.”

Normet’s TamCrete range comprises microfine and ultrafine injectable cements that are designed to be durable, fast setting, non-hazardous for the environment and super penetrative for water-tight grouting.The MFC, SFC and UFC ranges are assured by the Cement Industry Quality Assurance Scheme, which is independently monitored by the British Standards Institute.

“The other approach is to wrap the inside of the tunnel with a polymer coating, a prefabricated sheet membrane that is welded around the joints to make a sort of raincoat,” Dimmock explains.

“Recently we’ve began spraying those, rather than using prefabricated sheets. We’ve actually brought in a sprayable waterproofing membrane, which we use alongside sprayed concrete. We spray the concrete rock support on the ground, followed by the membrane, and then spray some concrete on top of it like a sandwich.”

Normet’s waterproof membranes fall under its TamSeal range, which includes synthetic waterproofing membrane, high-performance HDPE preformed membrane for upwards bonding, self-adhesive waterproofing membrane, and mineral coated torch applied membrane.

For this innovative sprayed concrete method, Normet offers a range of spraying equipment that can be used with its SmartSpray technology, which automates the process for improved consistency and efficiency.

For ongoing maintenance, Normet also offers TamPur and TamAcryl foam and acrylic injectables that prevent water ingress through leaks that are observed are the project progresses. These solutions are ideal for rejuvenating tunnels that are beginning to deteriorate.

For more information about Normet waterproofing and water control solutions, or to contact them about support for your mining or tunnelling project, visit their website.

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Normet is an innovative company whose dynamic D-Bolt has not been matched, despite attempts from the competition to reverse engineer a similar product. However, it is Normet’s range of self drilling dynamic bolts (SDDB) that really has the future in mind.

A challenge with using traditional bolts is that a hole must be drilled before the bolt and grout are inserted, and with rock that deep being under so much stress, there is the risk that these drilled holes will not stay open.

Additionally, fractured ground allows for water ingress, which can dilute the cement grout or polyester resin being used. Normet’s SDDBs overcome this problem as they can be drilled directly into the rock, making them ideal for fractured ground or unstable strata.

According to Martin Petranek, director of products and production for rock reinforcement at Normet: “Using a self drilling bolt does half of the installation for you, and then all you need to do is use a pumpable thixotropic grout or resin to bond the bolt. At Normet, we offer hydrophobic sodium silica-based resins, so it won’t be diluted or flushed by water ingress, and is also able to flow through cracks to consolidate the rock.”

The deformable resin is able to absorb some of the energy from the rock, further reducing the risk of bursts. As for the bolts themselves, the installation of these self drilling bolts can be fully mechanised, so workers can stay back at a safer distance.

“You can use bolting machines that are able to install these bolts, and the operator is protected in ROPS/FOPS certified cab. Major mining manufacturers are already looking at developing new equipment for installing self drilling bolts, so it’s really what the future demands,” Petranek says.

With other competitors entering self drilling bolts into the market, what is it about Normet’s portfolio that sets it apart? Petranek explains: “Where Normet is ahead, is that we offer variety with these bolts. We have two basic designs based on the material property, and we have several models made of these two basic models that differ in shape.

“We have the bolt made of seamless tube and a thread on the outer side that is rolled evenly on the left and the right of the tube. These bolts are commonly either 1.5m, 2m, 2.4m or 2.5m, and they can be extended with a coupling. By offering an extendable solution, we are able to substitute cable bolts if you need to drill much deeper into the rock.

“We are not limited to any size, it’s very customisable. Bolts can be tailored to customer demand, for length, diameter, even the length of the threaded section. We can also customise what kind of drill bit they want to use, as bolts will need to be able to drill a hole that is bigger than a coupling if the customer is doing extended drilling, but still kept as small as possible to limit how much grout that you need.”

It is not just the customisable design that sets Normet’s locally ancored self drilling hollow rock bolts apart from the competition. Normet has paid close attention to using materials that are best suited for mining applications.

“Conventional rock bolts are usually manufactured from ordinarily construction steels, which is not really ideal. It has certain load-bearing parameters, and is fine for applications such as concrete reinforcement where it is pretensioned, but for mining there are challenges with the impurities in the steel.

The steel is rolled in just one direction when it is manufactured into a bar, and the resulting impurities can make it very weak because of the microscopic bubbles in the steel. The material that we use for dynamic bolts is homogenised, which requires a different treatment to get a uniform structure and is much stronger.”

Visit Normet’s website for more information about the D-Bolt and Self-Drilling Anchor systems.

The post The future of rock reinforcement: Locally anchored, self-drilling bolts appeared first on NS Energy.

Normet is dedicated to driving innovative technology and sustainability in the mining industry, and with a combination of its continuous research and development to improve products, along with its onsite assistance, Normet helps customers to optimise their TBM projects.

Mining-technology spoke with Robin Swift, Normet’s TBM projects manager, to find out more.

“On the R&D side of things, we have to make sure that our products are efficient, but we also understand that using the additive correctly onsite will have a big impact on water consumption,” Swift explains.

“It’s all well and good having a really good product, but if they’re not using it as intended to really optimise the performance and versatility of the soil conditioning system, then it becomes a price battle for us, and that’s not good for anyone. Entering a price competition just drives market rates down.”

To help customers get the most of these products, Normet offers onsite support. Ensuring efficiency includes everything from making sure that the working chamber is filled properly to modifying soil conditions with water so that foam additives react better.

Normet’s research and development team recently updated its soil conditioner range, which further reduces TBM cutterhead torque, cutterhead tool and screw wear, and improves muck flow characteristics, as well as launching its portfolio of next-generation Tail Sealants.

The process for developing a comprehensive range of tail sealants came with a host of challenges, especially as a field that is very specialised for specific applications.

According to swift: “Other than the main bearing greases, a lot of these products aren’t following standards for testing because it’s a very niche product line, so a lot of the work we do is developing testing for replicating how the products will work on the machine.”

For tail sealant, you have quite a few requirements. It has to be pumpable, it has to be compressible, it needs to be able to create a seal with the wire brushes, it needs to have good anti-washout properties, and it needs to be biodegradable.

The issue with this is that if you create a great anti-washout product, the chances are it’s going to have terrible pumpability properties. A lot of what we’re asking for in this product is almost counter intuitive, so it’s like a balancing act to try to get it right.”

Tunnel boring projects simply aren’t possible without chemicals, so Normet offers an extensive portfolio of TBM products, including its TamSoil (soil conditioning foams and polymers), TamSeal tail sealants and TamGrease ranges.

From development through to assisting with setup and executing the project, Normet supports tunnel boring customers from start to finish.  For more information about Normet’s speciality chemicals for TBM tunnelling, or to purchase TBM technology for your site, visit their website.

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Tesla requires nickel for the batteries used in its electric vehicles (EVs), and owner Elon Musk has previously called on miners to produce more of the metal amid rising demand, and to do so in a sustainable way.

“Tesla will give you a giant contract for a long period of time if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally-sensitive way,” Musk said on an earnings call last year.

BHP said in addition to the supply agreement the pair will “collaborate on ways to make the battery supply chain more sustainable” – including a focus on raw material traceability using blockchain and reducing emissions across their respective operations through renewable energy paired with battery storage.

The terms of the deal between BHP and Tesla were not disclosed, but analysts at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence estimate the contract to be worth up to 18,000 tonnes of nickel annually, starting in 2022.

BHP’s chief commercial officer Vandita Pant said: “Demand for nickel in batteries is estimated to grow by over 500% over the next decade, in large part to support the world’s rising demand for electric vehicles.

“We are delighted to sign this agreement with Tesla, and to collaborate with them on ways to make the battery supply chain more sustainable through our shared focus on technology and innovation.”

Tesla seeking alternative sources of nickel amid surging demand

As electrification spurs demand for critical minerals around the world, there is growing concern about the strength of Chinese influence over supply chains.

This is the case in Indonesia, the world’s top nickel-producing region, where there are further concerns about the emissions associated with mineral extraction.

The US government recently introduced new policies to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals used in batteries, like nickel and lithium, as it seeks to reduce its reliance on overseas imports and circumvent China’s influence in the market.

California-based Tesla is also seeking to secure non-Chinese-controlled sources for its battery ingredients, and has reportedly agreed two other supply arrangements – with Vale and Prony Resources – for the nickel that will be used in its batteries.

Production at BHP’s Nickel West project is among the “lowest-carbon-intensity nickel in the world”, according to Edgar Basto, the company’s president for Australia minerals.

He added: “The investments we have made in our assets and our pursuit of commodities like nickel will help support global decarbonisation and position us to generate long-term value for our business.”

BHP had considered selling Nickel West just a few years ago, but has since positioned the facility as a supplier to global battery manufacturers. It is nearing completion of a nickel sulphate plant at the Kwinana refinery which will have an annual production capacity of around 100,000 tonnes.

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The oil major was told by a Dutch court in May to lower its net global greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels – a significantly deeper cut than the 20% reduction in emissions intensity Shell had targeted over the same period.

The landmark ruling was the result of a case brought by the Dutch wing of campaign group Friends of the Earth, which argued the company had a human rights obligation to make a more comprehensive reduction to its emissions.

It was the first time an oil company has been held legally accountable for its contribution to climate change, and raises the prospect of similar litigation against producers in the future.

But Shell argues the ruling did not consider the details of climate strategy update published in April because the hearings in the case had taken place several months earlier.

“We agree urgent action is needed and we will accelerate our transition to net zero,” said Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden.

“But we will appeal because a court judgment, against a single company, is not effective. What is needed is clear, ambitious policies that will drive fundamental change across the whole energy system.

“Climate change is a challenge that requires both urgent action and an approach that is global, collaborative and encourages coordination between all parties.”

Campaigners say Shell court appeal ‘sends wrong signal’ on climate ambitions

Shell’s appeal had been expected, following van Beurden’s response to the ruling last month in which he claimed his company had been “singled out” by the court case.

The Anglo-Dutch energy giant, which has committed to reaching net zero by 2050, has been advancing its plans to transition away from fossil fuels over the past year and is increasing the scale of its low-carbon investments.

It says its total carbon emissions are expected to have peaked in 2018, while its oil production peaked in 2019 and while continue to decline by 1-2% each year through to 2030.

But it does not plan to walk away from the oil and gas business any time soon, arguing there is still a need for fossil fuels in the global energy mix despite mounting pressure for a faster transition across the industry.

“For a long time to come, we expect to continue providing energy in the form of oil and gas products both to meet customer demand, and to maintain a financially strong company,” van Beurden wrote in June in his response to the court ruling.

“Imagine Shell decided to stop selling petrol and diesel today. This would certainly cut Shell’s carbon emissions. But it would not help the world one bit. Demand for fuel would not change. People would fill up their cars and delivery trucks at other service stations.”

Milieudefensie, the campaign group that led the case against Shell together with six other organisations and 17,000 co-claimants, said the decision to appeal “sends the wrong signal” and aims to postpone any action taken by Shell.

Roger Cox, a lawyer for Milieudefensie, said: “The judges have passed a well-considered judgment on Shell in the verdict. We are confident that this judgment will be re-affirmed on appeal. The science is clear on the consequences of, and solutions to, dangerous climate change.”

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It is the second directive issued by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in May, which caused widespread disruption to fuel supplies in the east of the country.

Pipeline owners and operators will now be required to implement specific mitigation measures against cyber-attacks, including the development and implementation of contingency and recovery plans in the event of a breach, as well as conducting a cybersecurity architecture design review.

New US pipeline cybersecurity rules deliver ‘urgently needed protections’ against fast-evolving threats

At the end of May following the Colonial incident, the DHS instructed companies responsible for fuel pipelines to immediately report any confirmed or suspected cyber-attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), as well as ensure a designated cybersecurity coordinator is available “24 hours a day, seven days a week”.

Companies were also required to immediately review existing cybersecurity practices and report any gaps in their defences to CISA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) within 30 days.

The latest set of rules introduce “urgently needed protections against cyber intrusions”, according to the security agency.

“The lives and livelihoods of the American people depend on our collective ability to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure from evolving threats,” said secretary of homeland security Alejandro Mayorkas.

“Through this security directive, DHS can better ensure the pipeline sector takes the steps necessary to safeguard their operations from rising cyber threats, and better protect our national and economic security.

“Public-private partnerships are critical to the security of every community across our country and DHS will continue working closely with our private sector partners to support their operations and increase their cybersecurity resilience.”

Colonial Pipeline shut-down raised questions over cyber-resilience of critical national infrastructure

On 7 May, Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline was targeted by a ransomware attack from a hacking group identified by the FBI as DarkSide.

The company – which transports 2.5 billion barrels of fuel each day across its 5,500-mile network stretching from Gulf Coast refineries up to New Jersey – was locked out of its IT systems and asked to pay a ransom in return for access.

In response, Colonial shut down its entire pipeline system – and despite paying the $4.4m ransom soon after the attack, it took several days for full operations to be restored.

It caused huge disruption across several US states as the pipeline, which supplies around 45% of the gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and home heating oil used in the country, was suddenly unable to make deliveries.

A major federal response was launched, and law enforcement agencies even succeeded in recovering around half the ransom payment.

The incident, along with other high-profile cyber-attacks in recent months, highlighted the dangers faced by critical infrastructure operators and raised questions over cyber-resilience across the energy sector.

Colonial Pipeline’s CEO Joseph Blount was summoned to testify before a congressional committee in the days after the shut-down and publicly answer questions about his company’s preparedness for a cyber-attack and its response to the intrusion.

“The attack forced us to make difficult decisions in real time that no company ever wants to face,” Blount told the Senate Homeland Security Committee. “We are deeply sorry for the impact that this attack had.

“We had cyber defences in place, but the unfortunate reality is that those defences were compromised.”

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Only 2% of the $16tn mobilised in financial support during the health crisis so far has been earmarked for advancing the energy transition, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), despite numerous pledges to “build back greener” and combine economic stimulus measures with sustainability goals.

The Paris-based watchdog has already warned of climbing emissions across the global electricity sector over the next two years, as rising demand outpaces renewable deployment leaving some regions turning to coal to fuel their economic turnaround.

All key areas of the IEA’s sustainable recovery recommendations, published last year, are “receiving inadequate attention from policymakers”, with current government spending plans amounting to just 35% of what the agency, along with the International Monetary Fund, says is needed to deliver a sustainable recovery.

“Since the Covid-19 crisis erupted, many governments may have talked about the importance of building back better for a cleaner future, but many of them are yet to put their money where their mouth is,” said IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol.

“Not only is clean energy investment still far from what’s needed to put the world on a path to reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century, it’s not even enough to prevent global emissions from surging to a new record.”

Governments in emerging and developing regions need international support to boost clean energy spending

There are “stark geographic disparities” in global clean energy investment, with advanced economies far outpacing emerging and developing regions in their respective spending plans.

Many emerging and developing economies face financing challenges to enacting their own energy transitions, and the IEA has recently called for stronger financial support from the international community to catalyse decarbonisation efforts in these regions.

“Many countries – especially those where the needs are greatest – are missing the benefits that well-planned clean energy investment brings, such as stronger economic growth, new jobs and the development of the energy industries of the future,” added Dr Birol.

“Governments need to increase spending and policy action rapidly to meet the commitments they made in Paris in 2015 – including the vital provision of financing by advanced economies to the developed world.

“But they must then go even further by leading clean energy investment and deployment to much greater heights beyond the recovery period in order to shift the world onto a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050, which is narrow but still achievable – if we act now.”

The IEA’s Sustainable Recovery Tracker, which takes into consideration more than 800 national economic recovery policies across 50 countries, will be presented to members of the G20 ministerial meeting on environment, climate and energy this week in Italy.

The post Global emissions poised for new record by 2023 as ‘green recovery’ pledges falter, says IEA appeared first on NS Energy.

Around 8,600 square kilometres of seabed have been made available by Crown Estate Scotland – custodian of the country’s sovereign real estate – with a total of 10 gigawatts (GW) capacity targeted for development in what is its first offshore wind auction for a decade.

Applications to the leasing round closed last Friday (16 July), and oil producers including BP, Shell, TotalEnergies, Equinor and Eni have all confirmed their participation, alongside renewable specialists like Orsted and Vattenfall.

Scotland is attempting to transition its offshore energy industry, traditionally associated with North Sea oil and gas production, to low carbon as part of the country’s aim to reach net-zero emissions by 2045.

“We really appreciate and acknowledge all the time, effort and investment that has gone into each and every application to ScotWind Leasing,” said Colin Palmer, director of marine for Crown Estate Scotland.

“We know that there is significant interest in Scotland’s ability to host major offshore wind projects, and our engagement with the sector throughout the development of ScotWind has been clear evidence of that.”

Submitted bids will now be assessed by Crown Estate Scotland, with successful applications expected to be announced in early 2022.

BP targets 2.9GW development to follow up success in England and Wales leasing round

A similar leasing round held by the Crown Estate in England and Wales last year attracted high levels of interest, with received bids reported to have been much higher than initially expected.

That prompted Crown Estate Scotland to review the terms of its own bidding process, raising the maximum fee that can be paid per square kilometre of seabed from £10,000 to £100,000, as well as increasing the threshold of supply chain commitments applicants must meet from 10% to 25%.

“This rapid review was undertaken to reflect the recent changes we have seen in the UK offshore wind market so that we could arrive at a pricing structure which properly reflects those changes,” said Amanda Bryan, chairwoman of Crown Estate Scotland, at the time.

One of those successful bids in the England and Wales auction came via a joint offer from BP and Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg (EnBW), who paid around £900m to secure “preferred bidder” status for two projects in the Irish Sea totalling 3GW capacity.

The pair have now extended that partnership with an application to develop a further 2.9GW of offshore wind in Scottish waters.

BP said the bid would “bring multi-billion pound investments into Scottish offshore wind projects and supporting infrastructure, including ports, harbours and shipyards”, as well as accelerate the development of Scotland’s hydrogen sector and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

It also plans to make Aberdeen – the hub of the UK’s North Sea oil and gas industry – the home of its global offshore wind centre of excellence.

“Through our bid we aim to do far more than only develop offshore wind – we believe it can help fuel Scotland’s wider energy transition,” said BP executive vice president for gas and low carbon Dev Sanyal.

“The bid would build on Scotland’s deep experience in offshore oil and gas, equipping its workforce and supply chain with renewable capabilities, including creating apprenticeships, and supporting thousands of jobs.”

Other ScotWind auction bidders

Another partnership renewed from the England and Wales leasing round is that of TotalEnergies and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG), which together with the Renewable Infrastructure Development Group, confirmed their ScotWind participation last month.

Shell partnered with Iberdrola subsidiary ScottishPower to submit bids to develop “large-scale floating offshore windfarms” off the north-east coast of Scotland, while Italy’s Eni teamed up with Scotland-based Red Rock Power to make a separate application.

Norway’s Equinor has made its own offer to develop floating wind in Scotland, hoping to build on the success of its Hywind project which has been producing power from floating turbines off the north-east Scottish coast since 2019.

“We see floating wind as an enabler for the Scottish government to achieve its offshore wind targets and help reach its ambitious net-zero target of 2045,” said Equinor’s senior vice president for business development in renewables, Jens Økland.

“By leveraging our offshore execution capabilities and our leading position in floating offshore wind, we are ready to create more long-term value and drive the industrialisation of floating offshore wind further.”

Several other global energy firms have also confirmed their interest as bidders in the ScotWind leasing auction, including Orsted, Vattenfall, RWE and Aker Offshore Wind.

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The International Hydropower Association (IHA) says the launch of Climate Bonds Standard criteria for hydropower paves the way for a “new era” for green investment in renewable energy and will help accelerate global decarbonisation efforts.

The hydropower sector-specific criteria were released on 25 March 2021 by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), a not-for-profit organisation responsible for climate bond standards and certification.

CBI certified climate bonds are widely regarded as the best way to direct investment to infrastructure that supports the Paris Agreement while reducing negative impacts on local environments and communities.

CBI criteria already exist for solar, wind, marine and geothermal power among other industries.

“The world needs urgent investment in renewables to avert catastrophic climate change,” says Eddie Rich, Chief Executive of the International Hydropower Association.

“Until now, the lack of specific hydropower climate bond criteria has meant that most issuers have either excluded hydropower or limited investments to small-scale projects.”

Certification

The Climate Bonds Standard Board (CBSB) approved the Hydropower Criteria under the International Climate Bonds Standard which means that certification for hydropower is now formally available for issuers of green debt products across all markets.

The criteria were developed through a technical working group process that included representation from the WorldWide Fund for Nature, International Institute for Environment and Development, International Union for Conservation of Nature, IHA and others.

It was then reviewed by an industry working group and underwent a public consultation process in 2019-2020.

The Hydropower Criteria encompasses the broad components of climate mitigation, and climate adaptation and resilience.

To qualify for a climate bond under the new Hydropower Criteria, a hydropower project must:

• Demonstrate it has a high power density or a low emissions intensity: recording either a power density of more than 5W/m² or an emissions intensity of less than 100gCO2e/kWh if the facility was operational pre-2020; and either a power density of more than 10W/m² or an emission intensity of less than 50gCO2e/kWh if the facility became operational in 2020 or thereafter.
• Undertake an official assessment using the ESG Gap Analysis Tool (HESG), one of the IHA Hydropower Sustainability Tools. The assessment must be carried out by an accredited assessor, be publicly available, and demonstrate: No more than ten gaps in total against international good practice; No more than two gaps in each section.

The majority (>50%) of the gaps must be closed within 12 months and the remaining within 24 months. Projects of all sizes, types (including pumped storage), and in all locations, will be eligible, provided they meet the Hydropower Criteria.

A number of green bonds have already been issued to finance or refinance hydropower projects. CBI says that “considering the potential negative impacts of the specific assets and projects linked to those green bonds, it is necessary to ensure consistent and credible guidance is available to investors who wish to channel funds into green bonds linked to hydropower”.

Furthermore, the criteria ensure that a robust and transparent screening process will certify that investments are ‘climate compatible’, enabling greater climate adaptation and resilience, and do not cause significant harm in respect of wider environmental or social issues.

“The urgency of the climate crisis calls for the accelerated adoption of renewable and sustainable energy sources. Sustainable hydropower is part of the suite of clean energy options to replace coal, oil and gas generation and help meet future demand for low carbon energy,” Sean Kidney, CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative says.

“Certification under the Climate Bond Standard will now provide a best practice guide for investors as to the environmental features of potential hydro investments.”

“The CBI’s new Climate Bonds Standard criteria clears the way for significant additional investment in sustainable hydropower,” Eddie Rich, IHA Chief Executive adds.

“It provides the clarity and assurance that investors, governments, the industry, as well as local communities, have demanded for years. To qualify, new and existing projects must now assess their environmental, social and governance performance and report a low carbon footprint.

“Let there be no mistake,” Rich continues, “these are tough criteria to meet for any energy industry. Whilst the hydropower sector can be proud of being held to the most rigorous sustainability investment criteria for any renewable, we will continue to strive for a level playing field to ensure that good green projects do not get left behind.

“Nonetheless, this marks the beginning of a new era for investment in sustainable hydropower.”

About climate bonds

The Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) is an international investor-focused and not-for-profit organisation working solely to mobilise the $100tn bond market for climate change solutions. To-date, worldwide green bond issuances have reached over $1tn. To learn more about CBI climate bonds and view the eligibility requirements see: www.climatebonds.net/standard/hydropower.

In order to limit the rise in global temperature to well below two degrees Celsius, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates worldwide hydropower capacity will need to grow from just over 1,300GW today to reach 2,150GW by 2050. Annual investment in hydropower topped $50bn in 2019, but this is far short of the estimated $100bn required, according to the International Energy Agency.

The Climate Bonds Standard criteria for hydropower stipulates use of two sustainability assessment tools supported by the IHA and a multistakeholder coalition of organisations. These tools are the ESG Gap Analysis Tool for identifying and addressing gaps against recognised good practice across 12 environmental, social and governance assessment topics; and the G-res Tool for reporting the estimated net greenhouse gas emissions of a reservoir.

This article originally appeared in International Water Power & Dam Construction magazine

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Despite signs of a “strong” global economic recovery from the pandemic, Rio said high rainfall, mine and processing plant availability, cultural heritage management and ongoing Covid-19 labour disruptions had all affected operations in its iron ore heartland of Pilbara, Western Australia.

The cost of producing iron ore in Pilbara has also been raised to $18-18.5 per tonne, up from $16.7-17.7 per tonne. “The change reflects price escalation of key input costs (diesel and labour), costs related to mine heritage management, and Covid-19 related costs,” Rio said.

Second-quarter iron ore production across the region fell 9% compared to a year earlier, totalling 75.9 million tonnes. Shipments were down 12% year-on-year at 76.3 million tonnes.

“Operationally, we are not where we want to be,” said Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm.

“We have made initial progress against our priorities, but a large volume of work remains to make Rio Tinto even stronger, so we can continue to deliver superior returns to shareholders, invest in sustaining and growing our portfolio, and make a broader contribution to society.”

New approach to cultural heritage management has impacted Rio Tinto iron ore operations

In an operational update published today (16 July), the Anglo-Australian miner said full-year iron ore shipments are now expected to be at the lower end of its guidance range of between 325-340 million tonnes.

Shipments will remain “subject to Covid-19 disruptions, tie-in and ramp up of replacement mines and cultural heritage management,” the company added.

Rio Tinto has re-evaluated its mining processes in response to cultural heritage concerns this year – following its destruction of Juukan Gorge, a site of major cultural significance to indigenous groups, to make way for a mine expansion in Pilbara.

The incident cost former CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques his job, along with a handful of other executives, and was a major blow to the miner’s reputation in its home market.

The company said iron ore production in 2021 has so far been reduced by around two million tonnes due to the amended plans, which include buffers and exclusion zones placed around areas of cultural significance.

“Blast management plans have been developed to create smaller, higher-controlled blasts to minimise vibration and protect heritage sites, which has had some impact on mining productivity and materials handling,” it added.

“Going forward this will remain a risk factor, however we are adapting mine practices and improving productivity.”

Copper production down due to Covid-19 disruption

Elsewhere in its business, Rio said copper production had fallen 13% in the three-month period to 115,500 tonnes, largely due to Covid-related disruptions at the Escondida mine in Chile, where it shares ownership with BHP and JECO Corporation.

The relocation of a crusher as well as a slope failure at its Kennecott mine in Utah, US also slowed Rio’s second-quarter copper production.

Development of Oyu Tolgoi – a huge copper and gold mine under construction in Mongolia that is expected to become a major revenue driver for Rio – was “significantly affected” by the pandemic, with staffing levels less than 25% of planned requirements.

The project has also been derailed by disagreements with the Mongolian government and operator Turquoise Hill Resources over financing structures.

Rio said “all stakeholders remain committed to moving the project forward and ensuring a long-term solution to the issues under discussion”, although a number of additional milestones need to be met to advance caving operations.

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