According to Mining News Pro - It is a fact that mining is essential to create most of what we use in society, from roads and bridges to computers and medical equipment.
The trend is that this industry will become even more important as the transition to a low-carbon economy takes place. It is because metals and minerals, such as copper, aluminum and lithium, are essential ingredients for many equipment, machines and devices, including electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels.
Sebastián Giraldo, Director of Industrial Automation for the Andean Cluster, Schneider Electric, said: “The issue is paradoxical because mining is an extractive industry responsible for about 4% to 7% of the global gas emissions. But since there is no substitute for these essential commodities, this industry will have to decarbonize to become part of the low-carbon future.”
The commitment to promoting responsible mining takes into account corporate advice and the implementation of solutions that combine Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling control of each process and area to achieve optimal, safe and sustainable operations.
Giraldo added: “The development of the sector is evolving, and there is a better perception and important representation for the economy. Different mining companies are already, for example, using sensors during the extraction phase to collect more information about each bucket or shovel, which increases performance, helps conserve water use and reduces tailings waste.”
It is worth highlighting that through digitizing energy, the goal is to optimize the work and task lead times, increase productivity, reduce operating costs, decrease or eliminate risks, and achieve better safety in work performed at these high-impact sites.
“Big Data/Macro Data can also be used for real-time monitoring of people and machines at the mine site to help improve productivity, increase safety and protect the environment. The more connected a mine is, the more efficient and prepared it is for the digital future,” said Giraldo.
The productivity of a mining company can increase by 15 to 20% if it adopts new technologies efficiently.
GREEN HYDROGEN CORRIDOR
A study to identify and design hubs in the Hydrogen Valley, assess its economic viability, and understand its impacts on society is already at an advanced stage, spearheaded by the Department of Science and Innovation, energy and services company Engie, South Africa’s National Development Institute and clean energy solutions provider Bambili Energy.
The objective is to identify at least three actionable projects to integrate hydrogen into the economy, to revitalise and decarbonise key industrial sectors.
The proposed Hydrogen Valley, the Minerals Council presentation reiterates, will stretch 835 km from the Mogalakwena PGMs mine near Mokopane, along the industrial and commercial corridor to Johannesburg, and to the coast south of Durban.
Envisaged is public-private partnership collaboration that promotes the use of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles through the provision of infrastructure to promote the adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles for commercial uses.
Anglo American, through its PGM Market Development division, has contributed project coordination expertise, access to the company’s broad hydrogen network, and financial investment to cover part of the cost of the feasibility study.
Study findings include a qualitative analysis of the project’s socioeconomic impact and will inform guidance on the regulatory framework necessary to bring the project to life.
To realise these objectives, corridors such as the proposed Hydrogen Valley can be leveraged to kickstart the hydrogen economy, leading to cost savings through shared infrastructure investments, and leveraging an incubator for the new pilot hydrogen project.
Hydrogen is a key priority for South Africa and hydrogen fuel cells have been described as an alternative energy source by the highest levels of government.
The catalytic green hydrogen hubs identified in South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley have been based on locations with potential for high concentration of future hydrogen demand, access to sun, wind and water infrastructure, and contributions to the just energy transition, which is a crucial economic development plan that brings positive social benefit to impacted employees and communities.
The first of the three selected hubs is the Limpopo/Mogalakwena hub, where green hydrogen infrastructure will be created to fuel mining trucks active in diamond mining, copper mining, titanium mining, and platinum mining, with some demand emanating from heavy-duty trucks and medium-duty trucks driving on the national N1 freeway.
The second of the three selected hubs, the Johannesburg hub, will involve a switch from grey hydrogen, produced by Sasol, to green hydrogen, meeting demand for a feedstock substitute for ethylene production, steelmaking, public buildings, buses and future private buildings.
The third of the three selected hubs, the Durban/Richards Bay hub, will provide green hydrogen fuel t heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks on the national N3 freight corridor, port handling equipment, and electricity, oil refining, switching from grey hydrogen t green hydrogen for medium-grade temperature heating, and export.
It is estimated that the Hydrogen Valley's green hydrogen demand of could reach 185 000 t of green hydrogen by 2030, or 40% of required energy in a low demand scenario to 80% in a high demand scenario.
On the green hydrogen export front, there will be competition from other green hydrogen exporting countries such as Morocco and Australia and from other ports in South Africa, such as the proposed Boegoebaai port, on the west coast.
In addition to significant demand from heavy-duty trucks servicing the N3 freight corridor, and public buses and buildings within the Johannesburg and Durban metropoles, it is estimated that Johannesburg’s green hydrogen demand could reach up to 74 000 t by 2030, driven by uptake from chemical manufacture in Sasolburg and steelmaking in Vereeniging.
In Durban, it is estimated that hydrogen demand could reach 70 000 t by 2030, again on heavy-duty mobility along the N3 freight corridor, when heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles reach cost parity with heavy-duty diesel vehicles. The ports of Durban and Richards Bay also present opportunities for green hydrogen for industrial demand, pulp-and-paper factories, and public buildings.
Locating hydrogen supply next to existing water sources, desalination infrastructure, or implementing water recycling or truck delivery of water is envisaged, with existing gas pipelines being leveraged for hydrogen transport and distribution in the longer term.
Job creation estimates are based on renewable energy, storage, and electrolyser investment only, whereas fuel cell investment would likely contribute to job creation as well, when activities across the value chain of resources to product and logistics, research and development, engineering, maintenance and training take place.
The PGMs sector would likely see a marginal increase in demand from the Hydrogen Valley in that PGMs are required raw materials for both PEM fuel cell and PEM electrolyser manufacture. The volume of platinum required for the valley would, however, only constitute a small percentage of current platinum production and be worth about $70-million to the South African PGMs at the high end.
Meanwhile, renewable energy and storage are regularly being declared the fastest, cheapest and cleanest way to bring new energy online.