Glencore sweeps the 2016 TSM Excellence Awards
Renewable electricity smart-grid pilot demonstration at Glencore’s Raglan Mine in northern Quebec. — Photo courtesy The Mining Association of Canada
For their innovative projects that raise the bar for corporate responsibility in the Canadian mining sector, Glencore’s Kidd Operations and Raglan Mine were recognized with 2016 TSM Excellence Awards.
Glencore’s Raglan Mine was awarded the 2016 TSM Environmental Excellence Award for its successful use of renewable energy with its wind turbine and accompanying storage facility in northern Quebec, the largest in the province. In its inaugural year, the 3-megawatt wind turbine and storage facility has already saved 2.1 million litres of diesel and reduced GHG emissions by 5.85 kilotons. Based on these results, Glencore estimates that it will save more than $40 million in fuel-related costs over the projected 20-year life of the wind turbine. This successful pilot project could have transformative impacts across northern Canada, helping to pave the way for more widespread adoption of greener energy alternatives.
Glencore’s Kidd Operations was recognized with the 2016 TSM Community Engagement Excellence Award for helping local non-profits secure long-term sustainability through its Community Partnerships program in Timmins, Ontario. The success of the Community Partnerships program and its ability to measure social return on investment attracted the attention of Canada’s largest public-sector grantmaker, the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). In 2015, Kidd and the OTF launched the $1 Million Kidd Operations–Ontario Trillium Foundation Legacy Fund. This partnership will see Kidd Operations and the OTF each investing $500,000 into the Fund, which will begin making grants when Kidd ceases operations.
A total of 23 nominations were submitted by mining companies that participate in the TSM initiative, a performance-based program whereby mining operations evaluate, manage and publicly report on critical environmental and social responsibilities. The selection committee, comprised of members from MAC’s national Community of Interest Advisory Panel, selected the finalists based on criteria such as innovation, involvement of and engagement with communities, and project outcomes. TSM performance was also considered as an indicator of the company’s ongoing commitment to corporate responsibility.
Source: The Mining Story newsletter: The Mining Association of Canada.
