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PERUMIN 31: The Future of Water in The Mining Industry
This document discusses water challenges for the mining industry. It notes that water is essential for most mining operations but is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and other factors. The mining industry accounts for a small percentage of global freshwater use but often operates in water-stressed areas. The document outlines strategies for mining companies to improve integrated water management, reduce impacts, and secure alternative water sources like desalination, in order to sustainably address growing water challenges.
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PERUMIN 31: The Future of Water in The Mining Industry
- 1. 01/2012 PERUMIN 2013 The Future of Water in the Mining Industry AREQUIPA, PERU
- 2. 2 01/2012 GlobalWater Situation
- 3. 3 01/2012 WeLive on a Salty Planet
- 4. 4 01/2012 AGrowing Population Needs More Water From Allianz.com
- 5. 5 01/2012 GlobalWater Withdrawal and Consumption
- 6. 6 01/2012 GlobalFresh Water Withdrawals Agriculture 2,800 km3/yr 70% Municipal & Domestic 400 km3/yr 10% Industrial/Energy 800 km3/yr 20% , 0, 0% Total global withdrawal approx 4,000 km3/yr in 2010 Mining 7-9 km3/yr 0.2%
- 7. 7 01/2012 EnvironmentalWater Scarcity Index for 2030 NIC, 2012
- 8. 8 01/2012 Effectsof Climate Change
- 9. 9 01/2012 WaterChallenges, Causes and Risks (From CEO Water Mandate, 2012)
- 10. 10 01/2012 WaterFor Mining
- 11. 11 01/2012 CopperDemand Curve (World Copper Factbook, 2010)
- 12. 12 01/2012 CopperProduction (World Copper Factbook, 2010)
- 13. 13 01/2012 MiningIndustry Differentiators Water is essential for most mining Mining and processing often at a massive scale, large water requirements Operations are relatively short lived, water requirements are temporary Remote global locations Little or no infrastructure Often must deal with stringent regulatory requirements Environmental sensitivity Social issues and conflicts
- 14. 14 01/2012 MajorDrivers for Water in Mining Mines being developed in water poor places - investment in pipelines, wells, and desalination plants. Increased reliance on low grade ores - more water is required for each tonne of refined product. Mining companies must treat wastewater to higher standards – increased regulation, need to recycle and commitment to sustainable water use. Water is a major environmental concern - problems caused by acid rock drainage and other impacts to water resources. Mining companies trying to reduce their water footprint Physical Availability Social License to Operate Legal Availability Physical and legal water availability does not guarantee a sustainable water supply solution!
- 15. 15 01/2012 Futureof Mine Water Resource Management
- 16. 16 01/2012 IntegratedWater Management for Mines Integrated water management for mining Mine water needs Mine water sources Permitting, environmental, social, legal constraints Ecosystems Other water users
- 17. 17 01/2012 IntegratedWater Management – Key Areas ADMINISTRATIVE Meet regulatory standards Integrate water strategy into corporate and business unit strategies Develop management structure COMMUNITIES Engage early with all stakeholders, including communities Use water unsuitable for other industries, i.e., sea water TECHNOLOGICAL/INNOVATION Manage Water: Establish water balance Measurement instrumentation Manage database Audit results Preventive water use: Redesign process Minimize water losses Water-saving techniques Protective management strategies/ measures and technical solutions: Determine potential for AMD Identify discharge points Improvement of infrastructure to contain runoff Monitoring information management Tools are available to proactively manage water
- 18. 18 01/2012 WaterFootprint, Carbon Footprint & Lifecycle Assessment WATER FOOTPRINT CARBON FOOTPRINT LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT Measures freshwater appropriation Measures emission GH-gases Measures overall environmental impact Spatial and temporal dimension No spatial / temporal dimension No spatial dimension Actual, locally specific values Global average values Actual water volume, no weighting Weighting water volume based on impacts Reducing specific water footprint (water use units are not interchangeable) Many efforts focused on offsetting (carbon emission units are interchangeable) Water footprint, Carbon footprint and Life Cycle Assessment are complementary tools
- 19. 19 01/2012 WaterDisclosure is Becoming a Reality
- 20. 20 01/2012 Futureof Water Governance Future water governance changes will be seen in four main areas: technology, energy, water pricing and other users’ rights to water TECHNOLOGY ENERGY New technologies are developed to meet stringent regulations Conservation and efficient use VALUE OF WATER RIGHTS TO WATER Water supply and demand Conflicts and priorities Source: http://www.willmsshier.com/articles.asp?id=86
- 21. 21 01/2012 Efficiencyof Water Use for Mining Corporate goals and commitment to efficient water use Accurate water balance and measurements of water use Process optimization to reduce waste water volumes Improved tailings water management – thickened and dry stack tailings Water re-use Zero liquid discharge
- 22. 22 01/2012 Storageand Transport of Water Catch and store surface water runoff – surface reservoirs, aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) Interbasin transfers Improved water infrastructure - pipelines, pumping systems, water tunnels
- 23. 23 01/2012 PotentialGroundwater Sources Characterization of aquifers – water in storage and recharge Use of groundwater with marginal quality - treatment Permitting and environmental issues with potential groundwater sources – can we use brackish water resources? Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) to optimize water storage Injection for ASR
- 24. 24 01/2012 WaterTreatment and Re-use Many proven standard water treatment technologies Innovative technologies being developed using membranes and other systems Process optimization to increase water quality of mining effluents Treatment of historical mining water quality issues
- 25. 25 01/2012 DesalinationSystems Desalination plants Intakes and outfalls Pumping and piping systems Power sources
- 26. 26 01/2012 Tailingsand Water - Industry Trends High density tailings using: Thickeners Filtration Centrifuge Chemical additives Improved water management: Upstream cutoff for valley impoundments Separation of seepage and decant flows Reduced beaching length (dry climate) Reduced wet footprint (wet climate)
- 27. 27 01/2012 Costvs Benefit to Recover Tailings Water Where is the best investment in water recovery from tailings for the least cost? $0 $1 $2 $3 $4 $5 Typical Range Water Loss Operating Cost Slurry Thickened Paste Cake
- 28. 28 01/2012 MiningImpacts on Water Environmental Heavy metal contamination and leaching Acid Mine Drainage Processing chemical pollution Erosion and sedimentation Social Depletion of surface and groundwater supplies Soil and water pollution Conflict with other water-related or water-intensive industries (i.e., agriculture) Water shortages and ecosystem damage Displacement of people/ communities Water has been called “mining’s most common casualty” James Lyon, interview, Mineral Policy Center, Washington DC
- 29. 29 01/2012 Mine Integrated Water Management Sewage, effluent process water, potable and process plant Tailings Geochemistry Hydrology A Holistic View of Water
- 30. 30 01/2012 MineWater in Peru and Chile
- 31. 31 01/2012 WaterAvailability in Peru & Chile Balance (millones m3/aňo) Macrozonas Ayer 1996 Hoy 2010 Maňana 2025 I a II -40 -928 -1.602 III a IV .397 -873 -1.2990 V a RM -1.393 -1.988 -2.844 VI a VII 16.452 15.173 12.688 VIII a X 189.204 186.763 164.517 XI x XII 526.801 526.005 525.708
- 32. 32 01/2012 WaterChallenges in Peru Increasing glacial retreat rates Only 22% of sewage water from cities receives some kind of treatment prior to discharge. 78% is discharged & lost 50% of rain water is lost
- 33. 33 01/2012 WaterChallenges in Chile Chile´s Projected Water Demand for Mining in m3/s (2009 – 2020) – Cochilco, 2009 Chile´s Water Offer & Demand 2011 (DGA)
- 34. 34 01/2012 TheGap Between Water Availability and Demand A gap already exists in areas of Chile and Peru It will get worse with time as demand increases and available water decreases How are we going to overcome the problem for the mining industry? Water Demand Water Availability Growing Gap Gap 2000 2010 Time in Years W a t e r V o l u m e 1950 In Chile and Peru, desalination will be an essential source of water as other sources are not always available. We need to find ways to reduce costs and impacts of energy production
- 35. 35 01/2012 SeawaterDesalination Using Renewable Energy
- 36. 36 01/2012 Potentialfor Solar Power Historical development of global cumulative photo voltaic power installed per region MW
- 37. 37 01/2012 Potentialfor Wind Power Cost Reduction of Wind Power Comparison of Energy Sources
- 38. 38 01/2012 SeawaterDesalination Using Renewable Energies Why use renewable energy for desalination? Desalination is energy-intensive Provide energy availability in remote areas Why use solar energy? Solar energy abundant in many areas with critical water shortages Solar powered desalination plants are technically feasible where other energy sources are not available
- 39. 39 01/2012 TheFuture of Water for Mining - Issues and Solutions Issues Water is essential for mining Global water demand is increasing Water shortages will be more common Mining often conflicts with other users Regulation will increase Historic problems must be addressed Many mines are not effective water users Solutions Consider water an asset to be managed Deal with water as an integrated system Proactively engage other water users Implement technical innovations Develop alternative water sources Manage water footprint PROCESS TAILINGS ENVIRONMENTAL HYDRO-TECHNICAL GEOTECHNICAL CIVIL WATER Holistic water management takes a multidisciplinary approach
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