Research
Sustainable Development Program
Program Leader: Prof David Brereton, University of Queensland
The Sustainable Development program was a key distinguishing feature of CSRP. In the last decade, there have been momentous changes in the political and economic landscape in which the mineral industry operates. Demand for, and production of, mineral products has surged to unprecedented levels. At the same time, demands for action on global climate and environmental change have put the spotlight on the minerals industry as a major user of energy and on its role in the stewardship of the Earth's resources – issues that were only just beginning to emerge when CSRP was planned.
The minerals industry is now in the public eye as never before, as highly profitable, as a major source of economic growth, and as a major participant in environmental change. At a time when many companies are already publishing annual reports on their performance in terms of sustainable development, it is more obvious than ever to see that what CSRP does at a practical level connects to high level company goals and aspirations.
An underlying theme of CSRP's research activity has been to develop new ways of thinking about sustainable development in the minerals and metals sector. This program incorporated sustainable development assessment tools, analysis and methodologies; regional synergies; water management; and various case studies (both within CSRP and external, including existing operations and proposed industrial developments). The resulting toolkit delivered an innovative approach for the sustainable design of mineral processing operations that can be easily applied by practising design engineers and provides a link between practices at plant level and over-arching sustainability goals.
The research outcomes will assist business operations to link performance imperatives to sustainability objectives by facilitating a structured, methodical process to identify and implement ways to use less water and energy, generate lower greenhouse gas emissions and minimise waste volume and toxicity.
Achievements
- SUSOP® – a developing management tool for incorporating sustainability principles into plant design and operation. Live SUSOP® case studies performed with a number of operating companies and publication of a SUSOP® Foundation Manual.
- Development and application of a quantitative methodology for sustainable management of bauxite residue storage areas.
- Quantification of the benefits of CSRP technical research outcomes from the development and application of an SD assessment methodology.
- Publically available issues papers that identify the critical future aspects for water and energy in the minerals industry.
- Application of industrial ecology principles to produce practical sustainability benefits across eco-industrial regions.
- Development of an internationally renowned SD-focussed regional synergies program in the Kwinana Industrial Area of Western Australia.
- Development of an application toolkit to assist with the identification, evaluation and prioritisation of potential synergies between companies co-located in an industrial area.
- Contribution to the Kwinana Industries Council project which won the "Corporate Business Leading by Example" category of the 2008 WA Environment Awards and was a finalist in the "Resource and Waste Management" category.
- Database of information on sustainable development indicators (e.g. cost, efficiency, emissions) on Australian electricity generation and transportation.
- A guide to publically available tools for analysing sustainable development in the minerals industry.
- Preparation and production of a Minerals, Metals and Sustainability textbook, to be published in 2011 by CSIRO Publications.
- Identifying that the complete set of drivers, barriers, and trigger events, rather than one specific aspect, determines the business and sustainability case of a regional synergy opportunity. This is the key to the implementation of by-product or utility synergy projects.
|
Impacts
- SUSOP® addresses the need of end-users for a recognised technique to integrate sustainability into business outcomes. Case studies were run jointly with engineering consultancies (e.g. GHD, Hatch) and operating companies (e.g. BHP Billiton)
to test and develop the new tools and techniques.
- Major resource producers are incorporating sustainability principles into project and operational decision-making and implementing beneficial changes in both existing operations or when designing new operations. Beneficial changes can result in reduced water usage, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced impact on the local environment, improved social outcomes for local communities, etc.
- Implementation of regional synergies has enabled industry in Kwinana to greatly improve on 'business as usual', and become more diverse and significant than other heavy industrial areas– positioning Kwinana among the international leading-edge examples of regional synergy development.
- Collective strategies for the Kwinana Industrial Area to improve the economic and environmental outcomes of industry by: converting by-products currently going to waste into value added products; reducing the generation of wastes; reducing greenhouse gases by improved energy efficiencies; reducing use of fresh water; reuse of treated wastewater; and reducing water discharges into Cockburn Sound. Continual savings are being made from the 32 by-product and 15 shared utility synergies among the companies. Greater resource security, increased efficiency, lower operational costs, reduced landfill disposal, and higher employment are some of the key benefits.
- An undergraduate level textbook was commissioned to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable development, which integrates the physical and earth sciences with the social sciences, ecology and economics. Future graduates for the minerals industry will have not only have in-depth technical and scientific understanding of their field, but they will also know how their discipline relates to other technical disciplines and how the whole relates to sustainable development.
- Dissemination of knowledge and research outcomes via conferences, workshops, journal papers and issues papers has resulted in the industry's increased understanding of the issues, benefits and opportunities related to implementing sustainable development principles.
Completed Projects
More Information
Contacts
Prof David Brereton
Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining
University of Queensland
p. 07 3346 4043
e. d.brereton@uq.edu.au
Assoc Prof Michele Rosano
Centre of Excellence in Cleaner Production
Curtin University
p. 08 9266 1286
e. m.rosano@curtin.edu.au
