Rio Tinto’s Kennecott copper mine in Utah now has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any copper producer in the US after switching all of its heavy mining equipment from conventional to renewable fuel.
Now, all 97 of Kennecott’s haul trucks and heavy gear at the mine, concentrator, smelter, refinery, and tailings are powered by renewable diesel that is sourced domestically. It is anticipated that this will eliminate the yearly emissions of 107,000 automobiles, or 450,000 tonnes, of Scope 1 emissions from the mine. Furthermore, the transition to renewable diesel lowers PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns) emissions at our haul truck fleet’s tailpipes by 40%, which is equal to almost 2.3 billion miles of light vehicle travel each year.
Thanks to recent initiatives like the installation of a 5-megawatt solar farm, the deployment of battery electric vehicles underground, the switch to renewable diesel, and the closure of a coal-fired power plant, Kennecott has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any copper producer in the United States. As of right present, the operation’s total carbon footprint is nearly 80% lower than it was in 2018.
Speaking at an event on site with the Governor of Utah, Spencer J. Cox, to celebrate the achievement, Rio Tinto Copper Chief Operating Officer Clayton Walker said: “The transition to renewable diesel is a significant step toward our decarbonisation goals at Kennecott where we have now reduced emissions by 80%, thanks to a range of initiatives in recent years. We remain committed to being responsible stewards of the environment and are always looking to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs for the energy transition.”
Kennecott’s transition to renewable fuel will also make low-carbon fuel more accessible in the state of Utah. In partnership with Kennecott, HF Sinclair is dedicating two tanks to renewable diesel for the mine with each having tank capacity of 18,000 barrels or 756,000 gallons.
HF Sinclair Executive Vice President, Commercial, Steven Ledbetter said: “We’re proud to support Rio Tinto’s sustainability journey with a low-carbon fuel produced at our facilities. We’re excited to see Kennecott move from trial to full implementation and what this could mean for other industries with evolving energy needs.”
In 2023, Kennecott conducted an initial trial of renewable diesel, which compared two trucks using regular diesel against two using renewable diesel. Officials measured the trucks’ acceleration, cycle time, fuel usage, and engine inspection reports. The renewable diesel was trialled successfully, complementing similar test findings from Rio Tinto’s Boron mine in California.
Combined with Rio Tinto’s Boron mine – which completed the full transition of its heavy machinery from fossil diesel to renewable diesel in May 2023 – renewable diesel use at Kennecott replaces 11% of Rio Tinto’s global fossil diesel consumption with renewable diesel.
Rio Tinto is targeting reductions in Scope 1 and 2 emissions of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
The renewable diesel being used is currently a combination of 90% soybean and the remainder animal fat and used cooking oil.
Source: https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2024/rio-tinto-transitions-renewable-diesel-at-kennecott
