The Clean Energy Regulator is considering making mine wastes eligible for carbon credits as BHP says one dam could offset its iron ore and nickel mines
A BHP sludge dam in outback Western Australia has the potential to store more carbon each year than the company emits from its flagship iron ore and nickel mining divisions and may soon be officially recognised as a carbon sink by the federal government.is considering making the capture and storage of carbon in minerals eligible for Australian Carbon Credit Units as soon as next year, in a potential boost for miners like BHP that are already storing carbon in mine wastes known as “tailings”.
Research by independent scientists from Australian, Canadian and New Zealand universities found in 2014 that the dam had been sucking about 39,800 tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere each year since tailings started being deposited in the dam 25 years ago.
“BHP is currently working with others in industry, policy experts, research teams, governments and voluntary carbon offset schemes as well to support the development of a new method.”The Clean Energy Regulator created a methodology in September that allows some carbon capture and storage projects to be eligible for carbon credits, but mineral carbon sinks like Mount Keith are not eligible.
The same 2014 scientific study, led by Sasha Wilson who now works at the University of Alberta, found that carbon storage would be accelerated if the tailings were exposed to more carbon dioxide.If BHP can find a way to capitalise on the dam’s full carbon storage potential, Professor Wilson’s study found it would store about 4 million tonnes of carbon per year.
Ms Langley stressed that projections for the dam to store 4 million tonnes per year were theoretical and would likely require expensive interventions to achieve.
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