Latest news with #VanessaTorres
West Australian
4 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Mining giant looks to limit emissions by electrifying refining process
A South West mining giant is looking to limit emissions by electrifying its heavily polluting refining process with help from a $4.4 million grant. South 32 received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency in order to support the development of steam electrification pathways at the Worsley Alumina Refinery in the South West. The alumina refining industry is the country's biggest user of industrial process heat, collectively responsible for about 15 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2021 — 3 per cent of Australia's total green house gas emissions that year. Currently, close to 70 per cent of these emissions are produced from steam production in the alumina refining process, fuelled by fossil fuel sources such as coal and gas. With the sector identified as a hard-to-abate polluter finding a method to reduce emissions is needed. The identified options to reduce these emissions include electric boilers, which generate steam directly using an electrode, and mechanical vapour recompression, which involves capturing low-pressure waste vapour from the refining process for recompression to create pressurised steam for reuse. Paired with renewable energy these technologies have the potential to reduce the significant contribution to overall emissions alumina production entails. ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the study was a significant step towards making low emissions alumina and decarbonising Australian metals production. 'Meeting Australia's emissions reduction targets will require businesses in the most energy intensive industries to incorporate renewables in their operations,' he said. 'Funding from ARENA will help South32 investigate innovative electrification options for steam generation that enable the use of renewable energy.' South32 chief operating officer Vanessa Torres said the company had a long-term goal to achieve net zero emissions across all scopes by 2050 alongside the Federal Government's target and to halve overall emissions from the company by 2035 from their 2021 baseline. 'Decarbonising our operations is key to achieving our goals and targets,' she said. 'The pre-feasibility study that we will undertake at Worsley Alumina, with funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, builds on the work already under way to reduce Worsley Alumina's greenhouse gas emission. 'Electrification of the steam generation process at Worsley Alumina's refinery has the potential to further reduce the operation's green house gas emissions and we look forward to starting work on the project. We welcome the support from ARENA and look forward to the outcomes of the study.'
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
South32's manganese mine resumes exports from Groote Eylandt, year after cyclone
South32's Groote Eylandt manganese mine has resumed exports for the first time since severe cyclone damage to its wharf halted operations last year. The Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) mine was badly damaged when Tropical Cyclone Megan hit the Northern Territory island in March 2024. Its wharf was destroyed by a loaded bulk carrier that smashed into the structure during cyclonic winds and high tides. Heavy rainfall also flooded the mine's pits and damaged a critical bridge and several roads. The damage led to GEMCO — a subsidiary of South32 — suspending mining and manganese exports, with the expectation shipments would resume between January and March 2025. In a statement this week, South32 announced export sales had resumed after a "recovery effort of immense scale and complexity". South32 chief operating officer Vanessa Torres told the NT Country Hour the first ship docked at the new wharf on Monday. "That will be the first export of ore from GEMCO over the last year since Cyclone Megan hit," she said. Ms Torres said rebuilding the wharf had been a huge effort, with about 317,000 hours of work involved and the removal of some 970 tonnes of steel and 740 tonnes of concrete. She said the mine's old wharf — constructed 60 years ago — had been completely rebuilt with new technology, making for "a significantly upgraded facility" that could withstand another cyclone event. Ms Torres said GEMCO had been able to retain its workforce of about 1,000 workers throughout the exports suspension period. Local member for Arnhem Selena Uibo said it was "great news" exports were resuming. "The export of manganese off Groote Eylandt will make a huge impact in terms of the territory's economy, but particularly for Groote Eylandt and the income that provides," she said. Ms Torres said the cost of the clean-up and rebuild at the GEMCO mine had not been finalised, but would be revealed when the company provided its annual results to the market. In its 2024 annual report, South32 said the mining halt had cost the company $US93 million ($137 million at the then exchange rate), while repairs to the wharf, a bridge and other infrastructure were expected to cost $US125 million ($184 million). South32 received $555 million in insurance payments for the cyclone damage. In its statement this week, South32 said it expected export sales from the GEMCO mine to increase over the June 2025 quarter and return to "normalised rates" over the 2025-26 financial year.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Evergy Plaza hosts Viva Downtown Topeka
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Cinco De Mayo celebrations are kicking off early in downtown Topeka. Evergy Plaza hosted Viva Downtown Topeka on Saturday, May 3. The event featured live music, authentic food, and Hispanic dancers. 'It brings our whole community together and it gives everybody time to spend with friends, family and doing all sorts of good things together,' attendee, Vanessa Torres said. 'I'm very grateful that Topeka has such a great community out here supporting our Latin community.' Topeka art gallery open again after devastating flooding Torres adds that she believes Viva Downtown Topeka is important because it's a part of Topeka history. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
