Sustainable operations

Sustainable operations

At Pilbara Minerals we are making a positive contribution, minimising our impacts and leveraging opportunities. We are excited to play a crucial role in enabling the global energy transformation to a clean energy future.

 

We acknowledge the impact of our operations on the environment.  As a result, we work hard to ensure we use resources efficiently, so that our operations are conducted with minimal impact and in line with the world we are trying to create. To achieve this, we: 

  • Responsibly manage the extraction and processing of natural resources
  • Instil strong environmental management policies and procedures to minimise any impacts
  • Manage water resources efficiently and continuously reduce unit production consumption by recycling
  • Comply with applicable laws, regulations and obligations
  • Improve energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint
  • Continually identify, monitor, review and control risks.

Environmental management is integrated into our normal work practices by setting clear objectives and targets, having sound systems and controls, ongoing data collection and regular environmental monitoring and reporting.

Our people and partners are integral to us meeting our obligations, so we deliver regular training to ensure awareness and understanding of land and resource use, and waste management policies, procedures and standards.

Since the commencement of the Pilgangoora Project we have embraced our expanded environmental responsibility and continue to meet or exceed statutory requirements. Risks associated with environmental incidents are managed through risk assessments, introduction of preventative measures, ongoing review and monitoring, and where necessary, effective and efficient mitigation actions.

A Mine Closure Plan has been developed and approved by the relevant regulatory authorities which includes a strategy as well as targets for rehabilitation.

View our Environmental Policy on the Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures page here.

We are enabling the global transition towards a clean energy future by mining and processing hard-rock lithium to produce lithium raw materials (spodumene concentrate). 

These materials are essential for lithium batteries, which power applications such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems and therefore aid in reducing the world’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Our mining and processing activities are governed by a robust regulatory environment and comprehensive internal processes that focus on resource efficiency (including water and land), regulatory compliance, stakeholder consultation and continuous improvement to minimise impacts.

The Pilgangoora Project is playing an important role in the global effort to address the issue of climate change through reducing emissions. Lithium raw material supply is crucial to manufacture batteries for today’s clean energy technologies, which are key to meeting the commitments many nations have made to support the objectives of the Paris Agreement, to keep the global temperature rise this century well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

We have identified four capabilities needed to deliver on our climate strategy and to support the business to deliver on our commitments:

  • GHG emissions tracking and reporting, which has been ongoing since 2019
  • GHG emissions reduction
  • Climate-related risk management
  • Energy management

These capabilities are designed with six capability principles in mind: mission, insight, process, technology, talent, and integration.

Late in 2022, our 6MW solar photovoltaic farm, which is the first major step to decarbonising the Pilgangoora Project, began generating and supplying power to the Pilgangoora Project. The solar farm is expected to displace approximately 3.8M litres of diesel fuel annually, saving an estimated 9,900tpa of CO2 emissions over the 15-year contract period.

View our Climate Change Position Statement on the Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures page here.