SA OZ Minerals workers at Carrapateena working to identify carbon reduction options

Michelle Pole says her SA mining company OZ Minerals has a goal of mining ethically and responsibly. This is how they are doing it.

Michelle Pole loves the peace and tranquillity of the remote SA copper and gold mine Carrapateena, about 160km north of Port Augusta.

She’s fallen in love with the vast open spaces, brilliant night skies and the beauty of the sun rising and falling above the rich Outback red dirt.

The former lawyer is the manager of governance and business services at the OZ Minerals site, and divides her time between the mine and the company’s head office in Adelaide.

And she’s acutely aware of the challenges and dangers of climate change in an industry under pressure from governments, investors and society to reduce carbon emissions.

“Climate change is a shared global challenge that requires business, government and society to work together,” Ms Pole said.

“By ethically and responsibly exploring for and mining copper, OZ Minerals contributes to a low carbon future and economic well being which, in turn, helps us achieve our purpose and contribute to a better future.

Former lawyer Michelle Pole is the manager of governance and business services at the OZ Minerals site in Carrapateena, about 160km north of Port Augusta. Picture: Matt Turner.

“There is a need for large reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the scale of future climate change and avoid the most severe impacts.

“For frontline workers, climate change impacts mean the need to adapt to things such as an increase in extreme weather events.”

Ms Pole said workers at Carrapateena were actively considering climate risk as part of their day-to-day operations and were working with key suppliers to identify carbon reduction and efficiency opportunities.

“Decarbonisation of our operations will probably become an even greater priority,” she said.

“As a result, we might see more demand for people with the skills/capability to manage decarbonisation technology, energy efficiency, waste and recycling and water use.”

In March, OZ Minerals opened its hybrid power station at Carrapateena which combines a 250kW lithium ion battery, 250kW solar system and 10kW wind turbine generator with a diesel power plant, demand management technologies and an electric light vehicle charging station.

The project is part of the company’s Energy and Mining Collaboration, established with six other organisations – Adelaide University, CSIRO, Department of Energy and Mining, Rocky

OZ Minerals chief executive Andrew Cole. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Mountain Institute, SunSHIFT and Tonsley Innovation Precinct – to look into renewable energy at remote mining sites.

OZ Minerals chief executive Andrew Cole said the company had a goal of mining ethically and responsibly to contribute to a low-carbon future.

“We have identified climate change as a strategic risk that could affect our future operating and financial performance,” Mr Cole said.

“We recognise that climate change is a shared global challenge that requires business, government and society to work together.

“We are committed to playing our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the physical impacts of climate change and the transition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”

Mr Cole said OZ Minerals had “strategic aspirations” to minimise water use, emit zero direct carbon emissions and reduce carbon emissions across the full chain of its business activities – both internal and external.

The company was examining options to increasingly electrify its vehicles, was working with logistics partners to reduce transport emissions, was reducing mill energy consumption and was improving data collection to identify other areas for improvement.

For more on this series go to: www.missionzero2050.com.au

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Originally published as SA OZ Minerals workers at Carrapateena working to identify carbon reduction options