Project Status: Complete
Project Participants: CSIRO, Curtin University of Technology, University of Queensland, GHD, Hatch
Project Leader: David Brereton (University of Queensland)
This project delivered a toolkit of methods to facilitate the identification and implementation of ways to use less water and energy, generate lower greenhouse gas emissions and minimise waste volume and toxicity. This allows operations to link operating plant performance requirements to sustainability objectives. A related but different activity was the development of a menu driven options approach to address important sustainability issues, such as climate change, across industrial regions. Through the development and deployment of the SUStainable OPerations (SUSOP®) concept, industry will be able to incorporate sustainable development principles into the design and operation of their industrial processing plants.
Development of the SUSOP® concept in 2009/10 has resulted in the undertaking of two 'live' SUSOP® case studies for BHP Billiton, both of which are separate to this project. The first case study was competed at the end of March 2010 and the second case study was completed by the end of August. The outcomes from these 'live' case studies have enhanced the development of SUSOP®, particularly in the concept and pre-feasibility stages of a new engineering study.
The team undertook a total of four SUSOP® workshops, for both BHP Billiton Aluminium and BHP Billiton Stainless Steel Materials Group, for identifying and prioritising sustainable development opportunities for their respective 'live' case studies. For both case studies, the SUSOP® process identified sustainability opportunities and risks or constraints that would not normally be identified through the normal project management process.
The third and fourth workshops were held with the CSRP Sustainable Development project group to further progress the development of the SUSOP® Foundation manual. The manual was completed and published in October 2010.
SUSOP® papers have been published in Minerals Engineering journal, in the proceedings of the Society for Sustainability and environmental Engineering conference held in Melbourne in September 2009, and also the Sustainable Mining conference held in Kalgoorlie (Western Australia) in August 2010.
Other work in this project included the development of a database of relevant quantitative information that assists CSRP researchers in evaluating the overall benefits or impacts of the project outcomes. The focus of the database has been on electricity generation and transportation, as well as water and other mineral industry consumables.