Mining remains a vital part of a low-carbon future, a fact that was confirmed by the topics prioritised at the recent Investing in African Mining Indaba’s virtual conference this week.
“The message was clear: mining is part of the solution as the planet addresses climate change through a range of renewable technologies,” said Andrew van Zyl, partner and principal consultant at SRK Consulting.
The World Bank estimates, for instance, that production of minerals like graphite, lithium and cobalt could grow by 500% in the next three decades to meet demand for clean energy technologies.
A single 3MW wind turbine requires 4,7 tonnes of copper, while solar photo-voltaic cells include glass, aluminium, silicon and even silver. The storage of this renewable energy in batteries is requiring increasing volumes of minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.
Speakers at the Indaba had highlighted the sector’s readiness not only to deliver, but to continue reducing its environmental and climate change footprint, said Van Zyl. The sector is a significant energy consumer, accounting for about 11% of global energy use.
“As mines progress their environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, the industry needs to continue moving toward climate-smart mining to cut its carbon and material footprints,” he said.
Read the full article in Mining Review Africa
