Oz Minerals is also aiming to reduce the mine’s carbon footprint by having fewer people on-site and a smaller accommodation village, made possible through the use of a remote operations centre. Image: Cassini Resources

Australian mining company Oz Minerals has announced plans to power its proposed West Musgrave copper nickel mine using up to 80% renewable energy. If the plans are implemented, OZ Minerals says the mine would become one of the largest fully off-grid renewable-powered mines in the world.

The project is a joint venture between Oz Minerals (70%) and Cassini Resources (30%).

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Oz Minerals is also aiming to reduce the mine’s carbon footprint by having fewer people on-site and a smaller accommodation village, made possible through the use of a remote operations centre.

The company released a pre-feasibility study today showing the Nebo-Babel deposit has the potential to produce 28,000 tonnes of copper and 22,000 tonnes of nickel per year for 26 years. Oz Minerals CEO Andrew Cole said the study confirmed the project could be a low carbon, low cost and long life mine.

“We are pleased the study has identified a means for us to reduce the project’s carbon footprint significantly and overcome the historical challenge of affordable power for West Musgrave,” Cole said.

“We believe, supported by the views of potential renewable energy suppliers, that 70-80 per cent of the power needs for West Musgrave can be supplied by renewable sources, supplemented by battery storage and diesel or trucked gas-fired generation.”

Oz Minerals already has major copper gold mines operating in South Australia. If the proposed mine goes ahead, it would become the first in the West Musgrave province of Western Australia.

Current plans for the site propose using an optimised mix of wind, solar and diesel supported by a battery installation. Oz Minerals estimates this would result in the avoidance of over 220,000tpa of carbon dioxide emissions compared with a fully diesel-powered operation.

The company reported a net present value of AUD800m and internal rate of return (IRR) of around 20% after tax for the project.