{"id":7852,"date":"2024-04-10T17:13:39","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T17:13:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/?p=7852"},"modified":"2024-07-31T17:32:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T17:32:51","slug":"sustainability-critical-for-resolution-copper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/10\/sustainability-critical-for-resolution-copper\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability critical for Resolution Copper"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At the Resolution Copper mine site in eastern Arizona, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP, system upgrades protect employees, equipment and the environment. NAM learns more from one of the complex\u2019s partners, Rockwell Automation.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Edited by Donna Schmidt<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ore deposit at Resolution Copper in Superior, about 60 miles east of Phoenix, Ariz., lies nearly 7,000 feet below the earth\u2019s surface and represents one of the most significant untapped copper deposits today. Once fully operational, the mine will have the potential to supply nearly 25% of U.S. copper demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edgar Cossio is a senior electrical engineer with Rio Tinto. The firm, together with BHP Copper, are partners in Resolution Copper Mining. The joint venture operates the Resolution Copper Project, a proposed underground mine at what was the Magma mine site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith everybody jumping on the EV and electrification bandwagon, it is paramount for this project to get going as copper is one of the most critical minerals used,\u201d Cossio explained. \u201cDemand will continue to increase.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EVs use four times more copper than conventional vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Resolution Copper Project has enough copper to manufacture almost 220 million EVs, or about half the global supply, by 2040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But at 1.3 miles underground, getting to that copper safely and sustainably is the top priority for Resolution Copper.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Essential ventilation, temperature, water control<\/strong>
\u201cThe temperatures down there can be brutal and sometimes even unbearable to work in. Imagine an underground sauna with temperatures between 90 and 140 degrees with around 100% humidity,\u201d Cossio said. \u201cSo how can we maintain good working conditions where it’s safe enough for the employees and safe enough for the equipment to operate reliably?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, as workers gain access to mining areas, water must be removed from the bedrock, treated and monitored, a process known as dewatering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have around 500 to 600 gallons per minute of water intake in the mine. In any other place, you\u2019re basically swimming in a lake,\u201d Cossio explained. \u201cFor us to maintain the safety of employees and maintain assets, we have to make sure our water system is up to par and able to withstand those extreme conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resolution Copper, about 60 miles east of Phoenix, Ariz., lies at a depth of about 7,000 feet. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Safety and sustainability are top priorities for Resolution.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shaft renovation and system upgrades<\/strong>
Resolution Copper has been addressing these challenges as it prepares the mine site for future operations. The firm renovated two of the mine\u2019s shafts, sinking them so they\u2019re now among the deepest in the U.S. Additionally, they connected the two shafts, which improves both underground ventilation and employee safety by providing additional ways to enter and exit the mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Further, and as part of its sustainability commitment to reduce energy use, Resolution Copper has also started to upgrade its ventilation system including its chilling equipment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe biggest thing we did was look at our control system. How can we automate this, make it more sustainable and environmentally friendly by implementing new technologies, such as replacing self-starter drives with VFDs for our chillers?\u201d Cossio said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company installed PowerFlex variable frequency drives (VFDs) and adjusted the concentration of glycol used in its cooling systems. Glycol is an antifreeze ingredient that impacts system performance and efficiency. Ventilation upgrades will continue as mine development progresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For water removal, Resolution Copper implemented a multiple stage de-watering system that can pump out water at a rate of 600 to 700 gallons per minute. The water goes through a series of stations at various depths and then to an onsite water treatment plant before it\u2019s ultimately recycled as potable water or diverted to an irrigation district where farmers use it for crops and cattle. Resolution Copper selected Rockwell Automation\u2019s PlantPAx Distributed Control System to manage this complex process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause of the criticality of our de-watering system, especially with all the assets underground, PlantPAx seemed like the right solution to set us up for success in the future,\u201d Cossio explained. \u201cRight now, projects are in the development stages. PlantPAx gives us the necessary backbone and reliability to ensure the mine is set up correctly for the future. With process control from start to finish, it will help us protect employees and equipment while reducing downtime and increasing reliability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Energy savings, system efficiency rise<\/strong>
Meanwhile, by switching to VFDs as part of its initial ventilation and chilling system upgrades, Resolution Copper has seen a 5% increase in system efficiency and a 10% decrease in utility costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith self-starters you didn’t have any way to control the speed, even with the process control network, so typically a motor wheel will draw more amperage in the startup,\u201d Cossio said. \u201cWith VFDs, we\u2019re able to mitigate how much electricity is being pulled in the initial upsurge cycle, which is a lot less electricity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That energy reduction equals about $1 million a year, a \u201csubstantial savings\u201d that Resolution Copper said it plans to allocate toward other sustainability initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s paramount for this project to be environmentally conscious,\u201d Cossio explained. \u201cOur partnership with Rockwell Automation is key to that success, especially with all the upcoming technologies and everything else we’re trying to implement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Editor\u2019s note: Resolution Copper ownership is 55% Rio Tinto and 45% BHP.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the mining industry facing a significant skills shortage, expanding the pool of potential candidates could prove critical when it comes to plugging the gap. CSG Talent has seen the success of this approach, supporting clients move individuals from related industries into leading technical and project management roles within the mining industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphic: CSG Talent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Edited by Donna Schmidt The ore deposit at Resolution Copper in Superior, about 60 miles east of Phoenix, Ariz., lies nearly 7,000 feet below the earth\u2019s surface and represents one of the most significant untapped copper deposits today. Once fully operational, the mine will have the potential to supply nearly 25% of U.S. copper demand. Edgar Cossio is a senior…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":7853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[340,1859,182,3055,114],"coauthors":[1632],"class_list":["post-7852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-bhp","tag-resolution-copper","tag-rio-tinto","tag-rockwell-automation","tag-underground-mining"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t