The Norwegian Environment Agency has granted the revised discharge permit for the Engebø project. The revised permit is in line with the application submitted in June 2020 for the substitution of chemicals, following process test work proving that the consumption of chemicals could be reduced by 99% compared with the chemicals in the permit of 2015.
Keliber has prepared the Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) report for the expansion of its lithium mining operations in Central Ostrobothnia and submitted it on schedule to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of South Ostrobothnia ("ELY Center") for official review on November 24, 2020 as part of the assessment.
Embankments have to be reinforced, subsoils stabilised, or sinkholes bridged. Due to extreme weather events, the need for soil reinforcement steadily increases. High strength geogrids can make such work much easier. Secugrid HS geogrids from Naue enable time savings of more than 40 per cent for complex earthworks.
With weak and compressible soils, earthworks are often a long process. The fill has to be installed in stages, and the soft soil may need to be relieved by a deep foundation. These measures usually take a lot of time and increase costs.
Inclusion recognizes Hochtief’s focus on sustainability
Anglo American announces the award of a ten-year charter contract for four LNG fuelled capesize+ vessels, introducing LNG into its chartered fleet for the first time. The new build LNG vessels offer significant environmental benefits, including a c.35% cut in CO2 emissions compared to standard marine fuel, while also using new technology to eliminate the release of unburnt methane, or so-called “methane slip”.
Mining experts from TU Bergakademie Freiberg will be offering trilingual online seminars on responsible raw material mining and recultivation over the next two months. Interpreting is available in Russian, Ukrainian and German.
Over the past 30 years, what is now the Bauer Umwelt business division of Bauer Resources GmbH has developed from a twoperson operation into a leading company for environmental technology with 177 employees. This successful trajectory began by tackling a challenge in specialist foundation engineering: how to handle contaminated areas on construction sites.
Hatch and X-Terra have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly deliver environmental services, including field studies, monitoring, investigations, permitting, and management to clients throughout Saskatchewan.
Starting September 1st, Tobias Bangerter will join the Management Board for BAUER Resources GmbH as a new member, replacing Peter Hingott who has served as Chairman of the Management Board for the past four years alongside his role as member of the Management Board of BAUER AG. At the same time, Dr. Roman Breuer will take over as Chairman of the Management Board.
The European Commission has granted EUR 8.4 million to a three-year H2020 project that develops an artificial intelligence platform for the monitoring and analysis of mine sites across Europe. The project, called Goldeneye, will develop solutions that improve safety, environmental impact and profitability of mines by creating a platform that combines earth observation technologies with on-site sensing.
European production and infrastructure depend on a supply of high-quality raw materials. Ensuring that the needed materials are produced responsibly in European mines guarantees sustainable supply and prevents European countries from becoming dependent upon imports from global markets. To support the development of the European mining industry through technological solutions, the Goldeneye platform integrates information from satellite produced Earth Observation Data (EOD), drone overflight sensors and on-site recorded data.
The project is coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the consortium consist of 16 European companies and research partners. The consortium works together in platform development and in bringing together the work of sensing experts, solution providers, and European mines.
Combining data to minimize risks
The Goldeneye project will implement a unique combination of remote sensing and positioning technologies with data analytics and machine-learning algorithms. The platform will allow satellites, drones and in-situ sensors to collect high-resolution data of the entire mine, which can then be processed and converted into actionable intelligence that allows more efficient exploration, extraction and closure.
“With Goldeneye, we are not solving just one problem. Our goal is to bring together different technologies in a platform that can offer innovative solutions to both businesses and governments and have a positive effect on the mining industry as a whole,” says the project coordinator Marko Paavola from VTT.
The project will also improve the analysis of the mine site mineralogy using drone integrated geophysical sensors as well as innovative proximity sensors including active hyperspectral sensing and time resolved Raman spectroscopy. The platform integrates this information to the data gained from the imagery and radars of available satellites including Copernicus and Sentinel systems as well as global satellites.
Applications for every stage of the lifecycle
The use cases of the Goldeneye platform address the different phases of the mine’s life cycle from exploration to closure and post-closure. The applications developed in the project include mineral detection, safety monitoring, operational management, geo-hazard monitoring, and environmental monitoring. For example, in the safety monitoring application the aim is to improve the safety of the mines by monitoring the mining sites for sudden slope and ground changes as well as analysing the environment of the mines to detect any mining water leakages from their indirect influence to the surrounding nature.
Five pilot sites across Europe
During the project, the Goldeneye platform will be piloted on five mining sites across Europe. Two pilot sites, Pyhäsalmi mine in Finland and Trepča Mines Complex in Kosovo will focus on the study of the environmental impact and stability of the mines. The Pyhäsalmi mine will also be used as a test site for indoor GNSS location positioning and turn-by-turn navigation trials. Accurate location improves the safety of the underground mines as it enables better tracking of the mining activities
Two field trial sites, Erzgebirge district in Germany and Panagyurishte district in Bulgaria, will focus on mineralogical mapping. The geophysical and proximity sensors will be used to calibrate satellite information and teach AI algorithms. The aim is to develop mineral exploration with higher resolution imaging and improved mapping of valuable mineral deposits.
The fifth site in the Roşia Poieni district in Romania aims to improve mineral predictions with combined satellite imagery and drone-produced data. The aim is to improve profitability, and support the mining community of the area.
Furthermore, the project will develop a mineralogical sensor solution for the ore drilling integrating Sandvik drilling machines with time-gated Raman sensors. This will improve the mineral extraction efficiency and support the profitability of the mines.
Consortium partners:
AKG sh.p.k, Beak Consultants, Cuprumin, Dares Technologies, Earth observing system, Galileo Satellite Navigation, OPT/NET, Radai, Sandvik Mining and Construction, Sinergise, Sitemark, Technical University of Cluj Napoca, Timegate Instruments, University of Oulu and University of Sofia
With climate change recognised as one of the most significant issues facing Australian businesses and vulnerable people, KPMG Australia has unveiled a new Climate Action Plan outlining new targets and programs to improve education and accountability.
Boliden has signed an agreement with Agder Energi for fossil-free electricity supplies in Sweden and Finland. The agreement covers a total electricity supply of 1,000 GWh per year and runs for 15 years from 2022.
Salini Impregilo has joined the short list for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down sustainable mobility project valued at £1.6 billion (€1.8 billion) to conserve Stonehenge, one of the most important archeological sites in the United Kingdom, as well as improve the quality of life of the surrounding area, stimulate economic development and foster tourism. The project involves the construction of a dual carriageway road.
Balfour Beatty, working in partnership with Thames Water, has saved over one million plastic bags from landfill by utilising a waste plastic asphalt on a key London cycle lane in Stratford, through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Fisia Italimpianti of the Salini Impregilo Group has acquired a contract worth $215 million to build Lot 2 of the Riachuelo system in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a mega engineering and infrastructure project to reduce pollution in the Riachuelo River, the most polluted in the country.
Professor Bruno Oberle has agreed to chair an independent review of mine tailings storage facilities, the International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Principles for Responsible Investment and the United Nations Environment Programme announced today as co-conveners of the review.
Keliber has submitted an environmental permit application for the Rapasaari lithium mine to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland.
Industry-leading wet processing equipment designer and manufacturer CDE has announced plans to introduce its new Combo all-in-one wet processing plant to the global market.