How Anglo American boosts sustainability at its Brazil operations

The Brazilian unit of miner Anglo American is aiming to increase water reuse and to run its operations on renewable energy.

Key to these efforts is a water partnership with Porto do Açu, involving the iron ore pipeline between Conceição do Mato Dentro and the São João da Barra port project.

Anglo American’s technical and sustainability director Cristiano Cobo gives BNamericas some details on the water and energy projects.

BNamericas: What does the water reuse partnership with Porto do Açu involve?

Cobo: Anglo American and Porto do Açu announced in June a partnership to study water reuse for the 529km pipeline that transports iron ore from Conceição do Mato Dentro, in Minas Gerais, to the port development in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro.

Potentially, this should be one of the largest water reuse projects in Brazil, with a volume that could reach 0.3m3/s of reused water.

BNamericas: What is the investment and what are the specific objectives?

Cobo: We do not disclose the investments demanded for strategic reasons.

The partnership will study the treatment and use of part of this effluent in the industrial plants of the complex, so that, gradually, the effluent will no longer be discarded at sea and will be reused.

This is yet another partnership that supports our purpose of reimagining mining to improve people's lives. It is aligned with the goals and objectives of our sustainable mining plan. The idea is to increase reuse as much as possible in our operations.

The company continues to work to encourage and build an increasingly sustainable environment, which offers solutions in favor of sustainability and society in general.

We have consistent goals in our sustainable mining plan and we work solidly to achieve them.

BNamericas: What are the company's plans regarding renewable energy?

Cobo: Anglo American in Brazil has already concluded the negotiation of long-term contracts for the supply of 100% renewable electricity; that is, wind, solar, hydroelectric, and has become an energy self-producer in partnership with Casa dos Ventos.

As a result of this strategy, starting this year, 100% of Anglo American's electricity consumption in Brazil, of around 300MWa, already came from renewable sources such as wind, hydro and solar, marking the conclusion of the acquisition strategy of renewable electric energy by the company towards an increasingly sustainable operation.

BNamericas: What is the company's emissions reduction target?

Cobo: The company's goals, within the scope of its sustainable mining plan are to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, increase energy efficiency by 30%, become carbon neutral at eight of its operational sites and globally by 2040.

For customers and suppliers, the company's goal is to reduce emissions by 50%, also by 2040.

BNamericas: Do you pursue other ESG efforts?

Cobo: Anglo American operates through the best ESG practices, based on its sustainable mining plan, with global operations.

At Minas-Rio, the company's iron ore project in Brazil, we produce a premium ore with high iron content and low levels of impurities, which allows customers to produce a greener steel, which is in great demand around the world.

In this way, carbon emissions are lower, which is very attractive for the decarbonization process in the production chain.