Mining faces a paradox: the sector must supply materials essential for clean energy transition while simultaneously reducing its own emissions. This dual challenge demands practical decarbonisation pathways that acknowledge operational realities while pursuing genuine progress.

Understanding Mining Emissions

Mining sector emissions come from diverse sources, each requiring different abatement approaches.

Diesel consumption in mobile equipment represents a major emissions source at most operations. Haul trucks, loaders, drills, and support vehicles collectively consume substantial fuel volumes.

Electricity use for processing, pumping, ventilation, and other applications creates indirect emissions when grid electricity comes from fossil fuel generation. Energy-intensive processing operations have particularly high electricity-related footprints.

Fugitive emissions from coal mining include methane that seeps from coal seams. These emissions can be significant and require specific abatement approaches.

Process emissions from some mineral processing involve chemical reactions that release carbon dioxide. Alumina refining and steel production are notable examples.

Supply chain emissions (Scope 3) from suppliers and customers often dwarf direct emissions. A coal or gas producer’s emissions from product use vastly exceed their operational emissions.

Near-Term Abatement Options

Several emission reduction opportunities are available with current technology.

Renewable electricity procurement or generation offers significant abatement where operations are grid-connected or have suitable solar/wind resources. Mining operations in remote, sunny locations often have excellent solar potential.

Energy efficiency improvements reduce both emissions and costs. Variable speed drives, efficient lighting, process optimisation, and equipment upgrades can deliver meaningful reductions.

Underground mine electrification eliminates diesel emissions while reducing ventilation requirements. Battery-electric equipment is commercially available for many underground applications.

Trolley assist systems reduce diesel consumption on haul ramps. These systems are proven technology deployed at numerous operations globally.

Methane capture and destruction reduces the impact of fugitive emissions. Where concentrations are sufficient, captured methane can generate electricity.

Fleet optimisation reduces fuel consumption through better dispatch, reduced queuing, and improved road maintenance. These operational improvements require minimal capital investment.

Medium-Term Technology Deployment

Technologies emerging from development offer additional abatement potential.

Battery-electric haul trucks are entering commercial service for surface mining. As technology matures and costs decline, broader adoption becomes feasible.

Hydrogen fuel cells offer an alternative to batteries for large equipment. Several major equipment manufacturers are developing hydrogen-powered trucks.

Electric rope shovels and draglines powered from grid electricity eliminate diesel emissions from primary loading equipment. These machines have long lives, so procurement timing matters.

Process heating electrification can replace fossil fuels for thermal applications where suitable technology exists. Heat pumps and electric heating elements suit some applications.

Carbon capture may be viable for concentrated emission sources, though cost and energy penalties remain significant barriers for most mining applications.

Long-Term Transformation

Deeper decarbonisation requires fundamental changes that will take decades to achieve.

Full fleet electrification across surface mining requires equipment availability, charging infrastructure, and electricity supply that will take years to develop.

Green hydrogen at scale depends on renewable electricity surplus and electrolyser cost reduction. Mining operations can be early adopters but won’t drive the broader hydrogen economy alone.

Process technology transformation for some minerals requires research and development that hasn’t yet delivered commercial solutions. Alternative processing routes for some commodities remain theoretical.

Scope 3 emission reduction requires transformation across entire value chains. A coal producer can’t directly reduce emissions from coal combustion; those reductions depend on customer and societal transitions.

Investment and Economics

Decarbonisation investment competes for capital with production, exploration, and other priorities.

Renewable energy projects often deliver positive returns. Solar installations at remote mines can be cheaper than diesel generation, making investment self-funding.

Efficiency improvements similarly offer positive economics. Projects that reduce energy consumption typically pay back quickly.

Equipment replacement economics depend on timing. Replacing functional diesel equipment prematurely destroys value. Matching equipment retirement schedules with electric alternatives becoming available optimises transition economics.

Carbon pricing affects investment decisions by creating explicit costs for emissions. Where carbon prices are significant, abatement investments become more attractive.

Access to capital increasingly depends on credible decarbonisation plans. Investors and lenders scrutinise emission reduction commitments and progress.

Credibility and Reporting

Mining companies face scrutiny of their decarbonisation claims. Credibility requires rigorous approaches.

Science-based targets aligned with climate science provide frameworks for commitment-setting. Several major miners have adopted targets validated against these frameworks.

Transparent reporting using recognised standards enables comparison and accountability. The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework guides disclosure practices.

Progress tracking against stated targets demonstrates delivery rather than just commitment. Companies that set targets but don’t report progress undermine credibility.

Third-party verification of emissions data and reduction claims adds assurance. Audited emissions reporting provides confidence that claimed reductions are real.

The Materials Reality

Any serious decarbonisation discussion must acknowledge that society needs the materials mining produces.

Clean energy technology requires copper, lithium, cobalt, rare earths, and other minerals. Electric vehicles need approximately four times more copper than conventional vehicles. Wind turbines require substantial steel and rare earth magnets.

Infrastructure transition to low-carbon energy systems requires massive material inputs. Transmission lines, batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines all depend on mined materials.

Demand growth for energy transition minerals is projected to be substantial. Meeting this demand requires mining activity to continue and potentially expand.

Substitution and recycling can reduce primary material requirements over time but cannot eliminate them. Recycling infrastructure takes decades to develop, and technology metals often aren’t available in recyclable forms.

The Path Forward

Mining sector decarbonisation is essential but must be pursued pragmatically.

The sector should:

• Capture available abatement opportunities that make economic sense today
• Plan equipment replacement and infrastructure investment around electric alternatives
• Support technology development for applications lacking current solutions
• Report honestly on progress and challenges
• Engage constructively with stakeholders on realistic expectations

Observers should understand that:

• Complete decarbonisation of mining will take decades
• Some emission sources currently lack practical abatement technology
• Mining must continue to supply materials for economy-wide decarbonisation
• Progress will be incremental rather than transformational in the near term

Mining’s contribution to climate action is both reducing its own emissions and supplying the materials that enable broader energy transition. Both roles matter, and both require sustained effort over extended timeframes.