Introduction
As a pioneer in green mining, Omnia Group’s BME is taking significant steps to advance sustainability in the mining sector. BME’s upcoming hydrogen peroxide-based emulsion (HPE) offering is poised to align seamlessly with the sustainability goals of our mining customers.
Commitment to Green Mining
“Our commitment to green mining practices demonstrates our dedication to being a responsible corporate citizen, while aiding our customers in achieving their ambitious environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets.”
Ramesh Dhoorgapersadh, BME’s General Manager of Global Operational Excellence and SHERQ (safety, health, environment, risk, and quality)
Dhoorgapersadh explains that BME’s green mining concept is founded on sustainable environmental practices and technologies across all aspects of its business. This approach aims to minimize environmental impacts and is based on five core principles.
The Five Principles of Green Mining
- Material and Energy Efficiency: Promoting the efficient use of materials and energy.
- Resource Availability: Ensuring the availability of mineral resources for future generations.
- Minimizing Adverse Impacts: Reducing environmental and social impacts.
- Improving Work Practices: Enhancing work and organizational practices.
- Sustainable Land Use: Ensuring sustainable land use post-mine closures.
BME leverages these principles as part of its growth and sustainability strategy, which aligns with the ESG requirements of both customers and investors. This commitment involves delivering products and services that enhance BME’s value proposition across all facets of mining operations.
Innovation in Sustainability
BME’s dedication to research and development drives its innovative approach to green mining. This dedication has led to several pioneering achievements, including used oil emulsions and dual salt emulsions. These products incorporate used oil as a fuel source, transforming a potential environmental hazard into a stable emulsion with superior performance.
“Our advanced formulation enables the production of finished products at lower temperatures, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower carbon emissions,” Dhoorgapersadh adds.
Hydrogen Peroxide Breakthrough
One of BME’s most exciting sustainability initiatives is its partnership with Swedish company Hypex Bio Explosives Technology. This collaboration focuses on developing nitrate-free emulsion explosives using hydrogen peroxide.
Scott Scovira, BME’s Global Manager of Blasting Science, highlights that hydrogen peroxide acts as an oxidizer without producing ammonia and nitrate by-products like nitrogen oxide (NOx) gas. This makes HPE’s environmentally friendly and safer concerning post-blast toxic gas formation.
Reducing Fumes and Water Contamination
“Many mines face operational restrictions due to NOx gases. In underground applications, efficiency is impacted by the time spent waiting for post-blast fumes to dissipate. Surface operations also face constraints from weather conditions to avoid NOx gas clouds impacting nearby properties and communities.”
Scott Scovira, BME’s Global Manager of Blasting Science
Additionally, managing ammonia and nitrate in mine water discharge can be challenging, as most bulk explosives contain ammonium nitrate. The use of alternative nitrate salts like calcium or sodium nitrate mitigates ammonia discharge but has limited impact on nitrates. Mines must remediate their water run-off to reduce ammonia and nitrates to permissible levels.
Market Advantage and Stewardship
BME’s market research confirms that HPE’s value proposition is robust, with no significant drawbacks impacting costs negatively. Hydrogen peroxide technology differentiates BME by supporting customers’ efforts to enhance their ESG performance.
Dhoorgapersadh emphasizes that green mining is essential in balancing mineral demand with environmental protection. BME’s sustainable practices help mining companies preserve natural ecosystems, align with ESG objectives, and ensure long-term operational viability.
“BME is a key enabler for customers to achieve sustainable mining,” Dhoorgapersadh concludes. “We bring immense knowledge and innovative solutions that unlock potential while ensuring operations are sustainable and responsible.” By incorporating HPE technology, BME continues to lead the way in green mining, contributing to a more sustainable future for the mining industry.
For more insights into BME’s innovative green mining practices and hydrogen peroxide-based emulsion offerings, read the original article in Modern Mining Magazine.
