In line with its Impact 2023 vision for the development of more innovative, efficient and sustainable solutions for the mining segment, Veolia Services Southern Africa attended the recent 2022 Mining Indaba. This year’s event brought renewable energy, sustainable mining practices, community impact and ESG imperatives into focus. It also highlighted the value of Veolia’s solutions in addressing the environmental impact of the mining sector.

“Our multifaceted performance is based on five elements: environmental; economic; commercial; human resources; and social. Veolia’s solutions for water, waste and energy management offer our customers so much more than just a product or our technical expertise; we enable them to achieve their sustainability goals,” says Miles Murray, Business Development Manager, Veolia Services Southern Africa.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Veolia has committed to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, by developing solutions to mitigate climate change and reduce CO2 emissions from combustion processes or from methane emitted from landfills. In addition, the company has successfully reduced client emissions through solutions for the production of renewable energy, recovery of energy or creation of a circular economy.

“For emissions that cannot yet be reduced, the Veolia Group occasionally performs offsetting on behalf of clients. We are also working on tomorrow’s solutions, such as CO2 capture and its sequestration, even its recycling,” explains Veolia Services Southern Africa Business Development Manager, Reinier Delport

Sustainable water management

Veolia offers the mining sector customised water and effluent treatment programmes that ensure customers achieve full compliance with strict regulations and ESG mandates. The company’s mine water cycle management solutions are proven to help mining companies achieve improved environmental sustainability and enhance business profitability throughout the mining life cycle, from exploration to closure. “A holistic approach to operation and maintenance services enables us to deliver a complete range of on-site services, technologies and solutions for our customers’ water management needs,” comments Delport.

When the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine in Ghana was re-developed, it had to meet the specific requirements set out by the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency before it was awarded an operating licence. The mine contracted Veolia to supply a solution for the mine’s wastewater management, including both water for operations and drinking water for personnel. Veolia implemented a multi-phase solution that included the overall management and treatment of water from ore processing. This has ensured that discharges comply with the requirements of the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency, enabling the mine to retain its operating license and carry out its core activities. In addition, the deployment of the solution in three phases made it possible to control the water treatment system and identify the optimisations necessary to better meet the mine’s needs.

Veolia is also a specialist in waste and energy management for the mining sector. Its solutions and services, developed over 160 years, increase cost savings and ensure reduced environmental impact and regulatory compliance, while also enhancing mine performance. These solutions optimise the underground water management, tailing water and salt management, as well as product and metal recovery processes. “Veolia’s commitment to mining directly correlates to efforts aimed at building a sustainable future for the sector’s stakeholders and for the planet,” concludes Murray.

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In southern Africa, water scarcity is a major consideration. Veolia offers complete water management strategies that address this challenge, and are tailored the unique requirements of the mines.

 Veolia group aims to be the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 220,000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides game-changing solutions that are both useful and practical for water, waste and energy management. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and replenish them. In 2021, the Veolia group supplied 79 million people with drinking water and 61 million people with wastewater service, produced nearly 48 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 48 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €28.508 billion in 2021.  www.veolia.com