Udokan Copper to cut its carbon intensity up to 75% by 2035

The company has published its Sustainability Report for 2021, which outlines results in terms of the environment, as well as social and corporate governance.

Udokan ?opper develops and implements programs aimed at reducing energy consumption and reducing environmental impact as it prepares for the production launch. The company’s plan to decrease carbon emissions involves the possibility of purchasing low-emissions electricity from power sources such as hydro, wind and solar, as well as consider its own power generation from renewable sources. It will also study opportunities to switch from coal to less carbon-intensive fuels for heat generation as well as electrification of its mining fleet.

The company’s ongoing mission is to produce copper as the key metal for building a secure and tech-based future, while taking care of its employees and minimising its impact on the environment. Udokan Copper’s key priorities are to complete its mining and metallurgical plant on time and within budget and to build a reputation as a responsible producer.

In 2021, Udokan Copper invested US$11.5 million in environmental measures and social programmes, as the company prepared to start production at the copper deposit. Udokan Copper had zero fatalities over the period from 2019 to 2021, while the number of total recordable incidents fell to 14 in 2021 from 23 in 2020, helped by measures introduced by the company, such as employee incentives for safe working conditions and staff safety training.

Akylbek Yerkozha, Board Chairman at Udokan Copper, comments:

“The company voluntarily started disclosing data on its contribution to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals even before the start of operations, at the stage of the construction of its production facilities. The report we are now publishing is our third annual sustainability report.

“In 2021, Udokan Copper implemented a number of important sustainable development initiatives. The company joined the UN Global Compact, confirming its commitment to the principles of responsible business conduct. We completed the development of our Climate Programme, which included an assessment of planned greenhouse gas emissions for all three scopes (Scopes 1, 2 and 3) and analysed opportunities to reduce them, with Udokan Copper being the first company in Russia to gain experience in assessing forecast emissions for compliance with the ISO 14064-1:2018 international standard.

“Our climate programme provides for a number of scenarios where the carbon intensity of copper production could be reduced up to 75% by 2035, which would bring the company closer to climate neutrality in the long run.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/03082022/udokan-copper-to-cut-its-carbon-intensity-up-to-75-percent-by-2035/