THE MINING INDUSTRY IS THE FOCUS OF EXCEPTIONAL ATTENTION AS DEMAND FOR METALS SUCH AS COBALT, NICKEL AND LITHIUM, REQUIRED BY THE GREEN TRANSITION, EXPLODES. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF MINING WILL ALSO INCREASE. METSO (FORMERLY METSO OUTOTEC), A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES PROCESS TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES TO THE MINERALS, METALS AND AGGREGATES INDUSTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, IS SEEKING AND DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE MINING.
Climate change is a key part of Metso's sustainability strategy. And not just strategy, but everyday life, as Metso has a major role to play in the fight against climate change: to achieve the global 1.5-degree climate target, Metso is providing technology to support the energy transition and sustainability goals of its customers.
– Among other things, we help our customers meet the growing demand for the battery metals needed to power the world. Our customers include many producers of these battery metals, which has been reflected in our equipment sales in recent years, says Tomi Ravattinen, Director, Tailings Management and Business Development at Metso.
– We have sold dozens of large filters for processes where the customer needs to handle and safely store their tailings. We also use the equipment and filters we have developed for metal processing to make the process as efficient as possible, he continues.
The main environmental impacts of the mining industry are on water and the surrounding environment. Every mining company goes through a lengthy and in-depth licensing process, which may result in a mining licence being granted. Metso's technology only enters the picture in the mines once something has been mined.
– When done and planned correctly, the impact on the environment is minimised. Each mining company applies for its own environmental permit with its own basic planning, and we as an equipment supplier are involved when the production processes are being planned and implemented.
Innovations from Lappeenranta to the world
The crushing and grinding of ore is energy- and water-intensive and therefore the carbon footprint of metal processing is significant. As much as three to five per cent of the world's electricity is used to refine ores.
At the heart of Metso's sustainability work is the company's Planet Positive offering whose products are more resource-efficient than comparative technologies. They reduce emissions and help customers to contribute to other sustainability goals, such as also reducing CO2 emissions at the manufacturing and supply stages of products. Planet Positive services can achieve similar sustainability benefits gradually over the years. In the end, these cumulative benefits can be very significant.
– The Planet Positive label is given to equipment that, for example, uses less energy and/or water than comparable technologies. This label will be strongly reflected in our products in the future, as we will no longer provide product development funding for new projects that do not meet the Planet Positive criteria, says Ravattinen.
Metso's Lappeenranta filter technology plant plays an important role in innovation in the industry. In addition to the production operations, Metso's unique Dewatering Technology Center (DTC) is located in Lappeenranta. Metso also has ongoing cooperation with LUT University.
– With LUT, we have ongoing projects related to energy. I very much appreciate that LUT has energy as one of its focus areas. The mining industry in particular consumes huge amounts of energy and energy efficiency is a big thing in this sector. There should also be much more investment in the circular economy and exploring its potential.
Making the circular economy the gold standard of the mining industry
According to Ravattinen, the circular economy is still a largely untapped area in the mining industry. There is potential, as the vast majority of mining by-products remain a challenge for mining companies.
– For example, in copper ore, the grade (metal) is often only few percentages of the total. More than 90% of the ore extracted remains as tailings, which are still largely unused today.
Tailings need to be stored and are usually either thickened, filtered and then dry-stacked or mixed with cement and put back into the mine. Dams in particular pose significant environmental risks.
– Our job is to sell solutions so that tailings dams are no longer needed. There are many possibilities for the beneficial use of tailings. For example, they could be used as a substitute for concrete in construction.
Traditionally, cement has been used as a raw material for concrete, and as cement manufacturing is very energy consuming, 4-8% of worlds energy is consumed into this. By using tailings as a raw material, CO2 emissions from construction can be significantly reduced.
– In mines all over the globe, there is almost free material available, as long as a workable process is developed to exploit it. And construction will not decrease as long as urban life continues and people want to have urban life in cities, says Ravattinen.
A successful pilot
The use of tailings in construction was also piloted in Lappeenranta in 2020. A noise barrier was built next to the Pontus School Centre as part of the Urban Infra Revolution project, in which the City of Lappeenranta, in cooperation with LUT University and companies, developed new building elements based on circular-economy principles.
The raw materials used for the noise barrier included, among other things, tailings from the Nordkalk mine in Lappeenranta and ash produced by the forest industry. The noise barrier, about one metre high, is made of 3D-printed elements.
– The noise barrier is one good example of how the circular economy could be promoted in the mining industry. The next step is to consider what products could provide more value than replacing concrete, says Ravattinen.
He calls for more lively debate and cooperation between the different actors in the region. As a global company, Metso can help companies enter international mining markets.
– We have a few development projects ongoing, but could well also look at other players to see if we have something in common. We are open to new ideas and smaller companies could also be good partners. For example, through new circular economy innovations, we can open doors to the world, as we currently have operations in 45 countries.
For more information, please contact:
Tomi Ravattinen, tomi.ravattinen@mogroup.com, tel. +358 40 825 4336
