Anglo American chief executive Mark Cutifani is confident the company is introducing technology and data analytics as part of its FutureSmart Mining program that make mining practices more sustainable.
The FutureSmart Mining plan aims to implement technology and data analytics to make Anglo American’s mining practices more sustainable.
Anglo American is championing a safer and more sustainable mining industry through technology, innovative thinking and collaboration through the program.
“Much of what we are driving for, particularly in terms of our energy and water ambitions, will be achieved through the technologies we are deploying as part of our FutureSmart Mining programme,” Cutifani said.
“These technologies are transforming the very nature of mining – how we source, mine, process, move and market our products – and how our stakeholders experience our business. This is about transforming our physical and social footprints.”
Anglo American spoke about the plan at its sustainability performance presentation for the first half of 2021.
“We are making good progress towards delivery on those goals but we also recognise that the world moves on, as do society’s expectations of us,” Cutifani said.
“We have added to the original goals, including our commitment to reach net zero across our operational footprint by 2040, with roughly a third of our operations to get there a decade earlier, in 2030.”
The sustainability performance presentation also focused on driving down fatalities, which have decreased from 3.6 in 2016 to 2.1 Total Recordable Case Frequency Rate (TRCFR)
in 2020.
Occupational health and safety cases have also declined from 116 in 2016 to 30 in 2020. The company stated that the elimination of hazards at the source is a key focus for the company’s sustainability improvements.
The sustainable mining plan was announced in 2018 and strives to reach goals across seven “pillars of value”.
The pillars include safety, environment, social, people, production, cost/margin and returns/financial.
Part of the plan includes Anglo American’s global stretch goals.
The company is aiming to have all of its operations undertake third party audits against responsible mine inspection programs through one of its global stretch goals.