Mining activity on a global scale generates great revenues for the economy of countries, but the high levels of pollution to extract metals pose a major challenge for companies and governments.
In Chile, for example, a few months ago a partnership was announced between Codelco and Copec Voltex to electrify mining vehicles in order to reduce carbon emissions.
In Europe, specifically in Sweden, the company LKAB has called on the services of Hitachi Energy, whose operations are based on efficiency under strict sustainability standards, to form a “green” ecosystem in its work.
In that regard, Hitachi‘s consulting experts are advising LKAB to realize its vision of sustainable and profitable mining with strategic analysis and advice that will help transform power and energy systems to be more affordable, efficient and flexible, in one of the largest industrial investments in Swedish history.
Collaboration Details
An important part of Hitachi‘s support is the development of sustainable scenarios conducted in collaborative working groups with LKAB. The use of electric vehicles in mining requires safer and more reliable charging stations and power supply.
Hundreds of digital models of combined power systems have been developed and tested to outline different scenarios to build the necessary designs and configurations to meet LKAB‘s future power system needs.
In this way, the Swedish company receives the optimal solutions early in the decision-making process, based on the results obtained from the analysis.
For example, the impact of implementing a future fleet of electric vehicles and chargers on the mine’s power distribution network can be assessed, as well as the need for energy support sources such as battery storage or microgrids, and how they should be designed, whereby LKAB has a complete portfolio of possibilities to choose from to fulfill its vision.
Goals
LKAB‘s goal is to make mining processes and products carbon-free by 2045. Ore production is also expected to increase by 40-50 % during the transition, which also includes targets to reduce energy consumption.
After mining ore in the far north of Sweden for more than 100 years, LKAB is now heading to the 2000-meter depth. To sustain a new global standard for safe, profitable and sustainable mining, the company must apply digitalization, automation, electrification and new working methods with the help of strategically selected partners.
For Per Tomas Uusitalo, Head of Development, Automation and Energy, LKAB, Hitachi Energy’s support provides new insights needed on the path to CO2-free production, paving the way to a new global standard of safe, profitable and sustainable mining.
