Is Green Hydrogen the Way to Go for Mining?

Key Insights from the Mining Magazine Intelligence Future show how important green hydrogen is for the mining sector

Here’s an article posted in Mining Magazine.

According to the article,

• The Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2023 highlights the contrasting approaches to decarbonizing the mining industry.
• While electric technologies are prevalent, a determined group advocates for hydrogen as the way forward.
• Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s plan to produce and use green hydrogen to power his iron ore empire has sparked interest in hydrogen technology.

The incorporation of hydrogen in the mining industry comes with several risks that need to be carefully managed. Some of the key risks include:

1. Change in Risk Profile:
   • Increased exposure to unwanted events such as fires, explosions, and arc flash due to the introduction of large quantities of hydrogen.
   • A thorough review of operational risk management, asset integrity, and reliability programs is necessary to mitigate these risks.
2. Technology Readiness and Innovation Portfolio Management:
   • The rapid evolution of hydrogen-related technologies can pose uncertainties regarding their viability, cost, safety, and efficiency in large-scale applications.
   • A rigorous technology development and deployment process can help offset these uncertainties.
3. Capital Projects:
   • Green hydrogen production is still expensive, and reducing costs is critical for adoption at scale.
   • Large capital projects are exposed to various uncertainties and risks, including budget and time overruns, and must be managed effectively.
4. Asset Integrity and Reliability:
   • The safe production and handling of hydrogen across the entire asset lifecycle require high operational discipline.
   • Critical control management programs commonly used in the mining industry are not sufficient to manage the change in operational risk profile, and specific failure modes in equipment handling hydrogen require thorough enhancement of asset integrity and reliability strategies.
5. Regulatory Environment and Policy Support:
   • The regulatory environment and policies need to support the transition to hydrogen, including permits and infrastructure development.
6. Supply Chain Failures:
   • Supply chain failures can cause business interruptions due to the limited number of niche third-party suppliers of electrolyser components and hydrogen-fuelling products.
7. Product Liability Claims:
   • Electrolyser manufacturers face risks of product liability claims if malfunction, defects, or improper installation result in injuries or damage.
8. Natural Catastrophe Exposure:
   • Transmission, storage, and distribution steps in the value chain are exposed to different natural catastrophe risks depending on the location where these activities are carried out.
9. Hydrogen Blends Risks:
   • Transporting hydrogen blends raises new risks, particularly during transmission, storage, and distribution, which need to be better understood and managed.

These risks highlight the importance of a holistic and integrated approach to the adoption of hydrogen in the mining industry, including careful planning, effective risk management, and strategic partnerships.

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Interestingly, we have some other posts related to this content:

Sustainable Mining with Green Hydrogen: Enel Green Power’s Solutions – Enel Green Power advocates for sustainable mining with renewable energy solutions, emphasizing green hydrogen’s potential to make the mining sector more sustainable. Green Hydrogen for Clay Mining – Venture of Carlson Power with Imerys & Sibelco – Carlton Power collaborates with Imerys and Sibelco to provide green hydrogen for clay mining operations, showcasing an innovative approach in the South West England mining industry. Chile’s Green Hydrogen Revolution: Mining Emissions Slash – Chile aims to reduce mining emissions by transitioning to green hydrogen, targeting a significant domestic demand portion by 2050 and establishing a global export market.