BMW and partners launch project to improve cobalt mining conditions

German automobile company BMW, in partnership with companies from diverse industry backgrounds, has launched a cobalt pilot project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to improve working conditions for artisanal cobalt miners.

Other stakeholders in the pilot project include chemicals firm BASF SE, South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI, and Samsung Electronics.

The partners have signed a contract with German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to improve the living conditions of communities based in areas surrounding cobalt mining zones.

DRC is home to the world’s largest known reserves of cobalt, which is used in making batteries that power electric vehicles and phones. The demand for cobalt and lithium is on the rise as carmakers are increasingly focused on launching more environmentally friendly electric models.

Between 80% and 85% of the country’s cobalt production comes from industrial mining, while around 15% of the production is contributed by artisanal mines.

The partnership aims to address the challenges associated with artisanal cobalt mining in the areas of environment, health and safety, and human rights.

According to BMW, the scope of the project will cover one pilot mine within the next three years.

“These measures could then be scaled up to other legal artisanal mine sites and enhance systemic challenges.”

None of the partners in the joint project will operate the mine; it will be operated by a local cooperative. The objective of the project is to identify workable solutions that improve working conditions at the mining site.

In a statement, BMW said: “If proven effective, these measures could then be scaled up to other legal artisanal mine sites and enhance systemic challenges in the longer run.”

Prior to the launch of the pilot project, a feasibility study was jointly conducted by GIZ and BMW.

The post BMW and partners launch project to improve cobalt mining conditions appeared first on Mining Technology | Mining News and Views Updated Daily.



from Mining Technology | Mining News and Views Updated Daily https://ift.tt/2zx6cYS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mine management and predictive maintenance are top priorities for miners

Image
While miners are starting to trial and make small investments in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and cloud computing, the traditionally conservative mining sector remains focused on improving efficiency and productivity by continuing to invest in mine management software and predictive maintenance. GlobalData’s latest report, Global Mine-Site Technology Adoption Survey 2018 , reveals that while investment by the majors is currently well ahead of mid-tier miners and producing juniors, higher shares of the latter two groups are planning investments in mine management software and predictive maintenance given their immediate impact on improving productivity. Source: GlobalData Mining Intelligence Center The report includes data and analysis from the company’s survey of over 200 worldwide mine sites which investigated the extent to which mines had invested in 13 different technologies ranging from communication systems to drones, predictive maintenance
Read more

Down with the kids: can mining ever be cool?

“Do you want to win a bucket load of cash? Of course you do!” is the eye-catching strapline of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia’s (MANS) annual Mining ROCKS! contest. It offers cash prizes totalling C$8,000 for junior high and high school students who produce the most interesting and engaging videos about mining across five categories. Held between October 2018 and 22 February 2019, the contest hopes to inspire young people to teach themselves about the mining industry in Canada and beyond. Sean Kirby, executive director of MANS, says the association launched the competition because the industry needs to do better at explaining itself to the public and, in particular, reaching out to young people to educate them about mining, minerals and geoscience. “We started the Mining ROCKS! video contest as a way to appeal to young people, to give them a reason to want to learn about what we do by doing their own research,” he says. Attracting the next generation of miners Ingratiating
Read more

GR Engineering wins OZ Minerals Northern Wellfield project contract

OZ Minerals has awarded a contract to GR Engineering Services for the design and construction of the Northern Wellfield for the Carrapateena project located approximately 160km north of Port Augusta in South Australia. The engineering, procurement and construction contract is valued at A$16.3m ($11.77m). For the Northern Wellfield project, GR Engineering will provide the detailed design, survey, supply, transportation, construction, testing and commissioning services for the development of the trunkline and transfer pumping stations associated with four wells. The Carrapateena mineral processing plant, which is currently under construction, will obtain water through the wellfield project. The Northern Wellfield project will include access roads, pipeline corridors, staging tanks, wellheads and pumps to source groundwater from deep underground aquifers for providing raw saline water to the mining operations. “This work demonstrates GR Engineering’s credentials in the supply of proc
Read more