Industry publication interview with Veena

In this story published in Solid Ground Magazine by Sandvik, UNSW SMaRT Centre Director, Professor Veena shares ideas about how the mining sector can embrace a circular economy and innovation to be more sustainable.

Read the full story online here (page 39), or click a PDF link below.

Here is an excerpt:

Q: HOW CAN THE MINING INDUSTRY DEVELOP A CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

A: I think sustainability will be the foundation through which the global economy is transformed over the coming years into an economy that is fairer for everyone on the planet. To do this, we have to rethink how we go about doing business, managing our materials and waste challenges. That means bringing new opportunities to life, whether it be by reducing our carbon footprint or creating products that are made from recycled content, and developing new manufacturing opportunities as a result. For the mining sector, this might involve looking for new ways to respect the materials used and the environment in ways beyond site remediation.

Q: WHICH CIRCULAR ECONOMY OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO MINERS?
A: Many mine sites have mining trucks with massive tires. I would ask the question: what happens to all of those tires? There are technologies today like Green Steel where waste tires can be a useful feedstock for steel making. Then there’s the food packaging left over from people living in remote locations. There’s potential to set up a MICROfactorieTM on site to process and reform that waste – in other words, turn it into a new product. The same goes for personal protective equipment that has reached the end of its life, things like safety glasses and high-visibility gear. It could be reformed