To demonstrate our commitment to effective water stewardship this World Water Day, our latest sustainable development report (pdf) reveals that in 2014, Anglo American’s water saving projects conserved around 36m m3 of H2O, that’s equivalent to 173,077 years worth of UK baths and cups of tea combined.
Limiting the impact our operations have on local water supply is crucial for us at Anglo American, especially as 70% of our mines are in water stressed areas.
Our latest sustainability report (pdf) reveals that in 2014, for the second year running we exceeded the 2020 water savings target of 14% by achieving an estimated 16% water saving against our projected water usage.
Water saving projects, which include more effective dust suppression, the dewatering of tailings dams - the physical structures that hold in water containing the ground rock tailings from the ore milling and separation process - and more efficient ways to extract metals and minerals from ore, saved us approximately 36m m3 of water.
Our total water consumption decreased from 201m m3 in 2013 to 195m m3 in 2014. The reduction was primarily attributable to higher levels of water recycling at Los Bronces copper mine in Chile as well as water savings achieved through the implementation of the Water Efficiency Target Tool (WETT), used to forecast projected business as usual demands of individual operations and register water saving projects.
Of our total operational water requirements last year, 69% were met by recycling/re-using water (In 2013 this figure was 67%). Our operations also seek to reduce their dependency on high quality water through water switching and the use of lower quality water where applicable.
Case study: mantoverde desalination plant
Nothing demonstrates our efforts to limit water disruption more than the desalination plant at our Mantoverde operation.
Since it began operation in 2014, the desalination plant has helped us secure a safe and reliable water source in one of the driest regions in the world Chile’s Atacama desert.
With an expected lifespan of 20 years, the plant means that the Mantoverde operation will no longer be dependent on fresh water from the Copiapó basin, which supplies local residents with freshwater in a region where fresh water is precious.
The plant works by capturing seawater in a catchment tower, located 300 metres from the seashore, where it begins a filtration and purification process that extracts residue and salt.
This water can then be utilised by the Mantoverde operation, which comprises an open pit mine, crushing plants and facilities for processing oxide ores.
During the water treatment, all emissions are highly controlled. Natural elements such as salt that are extracted from the sea water to transform it into fresh, neutral and clean water during the desalination process, are returned and dispersed into the sea.
The desalination plant demonstrates both our commitment to optimising water usage in a sustainable and responsible way, and our commitment to innovation and technology development.
Find out more about Anglo American’s approach to effective water management by downloading our full sustainable development report 2014.
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