Galaxy Resources has received the Energy Generation and Distribution Award from the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia for its use of solar power in a mine in Western Australia.
The Mt Cattlin site is the first mining operation in Australia to incorporate solar panels on a solar tracker. The tracking system follows the sun throughout the day and provides 15% more solar electricity than fixed systems according to the company.
Galaxy Resources has 14 solar panel arrays on trackers and two wind turbines operating at the Mt. Cattlin lithium mine site; which generate 226 megawatt hours of clean electricity each year – approximately 17% of the mines power requirements.
Galaxy Resources Managing Director, Iggy Tan, says the company is proud to be a part of efforts to get the mining industry to use more renewable energy for its electricity needs.
Galaxy is the owner and operator the Mt. Cattlin site, which is currently producing spodumene concentrate. Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate; a source of lithium. Lithium compounds are in high demand due to advances in long life batteries and electronics including mobile phones, computers, hybrid and electric cars.
Galaxy Resources not only mines the lithium, but also supplies lithium carbonate to the expanding Asian market. Galaxy’s Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant will have capacity of 17,000 tpa of lithium carbonate, which Galaxy says will make it one of the largest plants in China.
The Sustainable Energy Association of Australia‘s Energy and Distribution Award is given to organisations that are best seen to be incorporating principles of sustainable energy, energy efficiency and/or greenhouse gas reduction in the generation of electricity for Western Australia residential and commercial customers.
