The Future Of Mining In BC

Jul 27, 2023 - 2 years ago

The Mining Suppliers Association of BC (MSABC) is launching a new campaign highlighting the exciting and innovative technologies BC’s mining industry suppliers are using to advance the future of mining in the province.

Redefining Mining digs into the ways suppliers across BC are taking action to decarbonize, electrify and sustainably manufacture products, leading to increased efficiency, reduced waste, enhanced safety, and improved environmental performance.

“The BC mining industry is continuously looking for opportunities to improve performance, to redefine how mining can be more efficient and more environmentally responsible,” said Alec Morrison, President and CEO, Mining Suppliers Association of BC. “BC is the right place to mine as global demand increases for copper, steel making coal and the other critical minerals needed to transition to a low carbon economy.”

The Future Of Mining In BC
Here are just a few ways BC’s mining service providers and suppliers are redefining mining and working together to integrate new technologies into the industry:

The transportation industry alone makes up 50% of emissions in the province and of that, a little over 10% is of heavy-duty trucking emissions. Such a large impact on the overall emissions gives mining and transportation industries a profound opportunity to reduce emissions on a large scale. Arrow Transportation uses telematics technology to track carbon emissions and provide truck-driving sustainability scores enabling emission reduction while new technologies such as hydrogen-powered transport trucks are developed and brought to market.
Another technology bridge is SMS Equipment’s electric trolley assist being used presently to help large haul trucks decarbonize. Shifting from fully diesel fueled trucks to using electric trolley assist in the form of an overhead power line grid system allows diesel engines to ramp down, increase clean energy use and lower carbon intensity. As a result, Copper Mountain has so far achieved a 30% carbon reduction.
JDS Energy and Mining supports mining ESG goals by helping to plan and implement passive closure methods to replace traditionally used active management. Passive closure reduces the use of energy and labour by reducing required site presence and utilizing natural features such as the sun and gravity to move sites towards an acceptable final state that minimizes risk for communities and wildlife.
Kal Tire is focusing efforts on material intensity and looking at using less material to do more. This means extending a tire’s life and reducing the manufacturing of new tires. One new mining tire is 8K pounds of steel and rubber. By repairing rather than replacing a mining truck tire, Kal Tire can reduce 450 litres of oil from being consumed, or 18 tonnes of CO2 from being released.
The move towards a low carbon economy is already happening as Sacre-Davey Engineering works closely with UBC graduate researchers to advance the latest technologies for reducing power consumption, waste and emissions associated with mining operations. This includes ongoing research at UBC’s Coal and Mineral Processing Laboratory to find new ways to sort ore, such as using duel-energy x-ray transmission and optical sensing systems to separate valuable ore from waste rock. This technology limits the waste being sent to tailing dams and reduces the environmental footprint of mining operations.

"British Columbians want clean mining,” says Cheryl Gray, Vice President of Finning Canada. “We all recognize that we’re in a wonderful province with an abundance of resources, but we all want to be thoughtful about how we mine and doing that means we leverage new technologies and better ways of doing things than we did in the past.”

Environment, water protection and overall ESG initiatives are now key conversations and imperatives in industry and British Columbia’s mining industry is leading the way towards decarbonization. In a short period of time, MSABC’s members have helped mine operators make significant advancements towards emission reductions and the work continues. Beyond these highlighted ways that the industry is redefining mining, many other innovative advances are being made for the common goal of carbon reduction and a global shift towards increased sustainability.

“ESG has brought a new wave of initiatives across the mining industry, and it is something that the industry can rally behind and make serious changes,” Daniel Jenkins, General Manager – Reclamation of JDS Mining.

The Future Of Mining In BC

About Mining Suppliers Association of BC
Formed in 1986, the Mining Suppliers Association of BC (MSABC) provides equipment, products, and related services to the BC mining industry. MSABC comprises a network of suppliers, contractors and consultants within the province as well as Alberta, Ontario, and Washington State. It is affiliated with the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) which represent the corporations engaged in operating and developing mine sites within BC. As a strong partner of MABC, MSABC focuses in building industry initiatives that focus on sustainability, land use, engagement within Indigenous communities, government relations and public awareness.

By recognizing the importance of mining to the economic well-being of the province, MSABC promotes the development of a sustainable mining industry in BC and commits to building a better future for mining.

Source: MSABC