The challenge
Water. The essence of life. A critical resource shared by people, places and things. Careful, intentional management of its quality and volume in industrial processes and urban infrastructure is our responsibility, and it's a huge one. We need to do everything we can to be sure water is returned—clean, safe and abundant—to the natural systems that sustain us.
We need to change the way we think about water. Its true cost, from an economic, social, and environmental perspective, must be incorporated into the entire life cycle of any undertaking: personal, professional, industrial or environmental.
As urbanization grows and takes hold in the developing world, populations will move into cities in far greater numbers. We must respond adequately, conscientiously, and with a sense of responsibility like never before. We must consider how to make clean, safe, water accessible and available for those new urban populations. And the rest of the world, too.
Water is integral to many aspects of mining. Determining its value throughout the industrial life cycle is essential for responsible water-management-and-reduction strategies. But we need to consider it in the bigger context too, focusing on environmental sustainability and responsible water usage throughout the industry.
Our response
- Turn data into decisions: Big data and automated control systems have the potential to transform how we move water through cities. They will continue to play a vital role in meeting the challenges that urbanization will present. We've partnered with the World Council for City Data to help drive cities to make better, more sustainable decisions, armed with information that today's modern data collection and analysis tools can provide.
- Deliver water where it's needed: Communities and industry will continue to vie for the same, finite water resources. We can help find more and better ways to move and distribute water so that everyone's needs are met.
- Protect the environment effectively: Water treatment systems must consider the entire ecosystem. Upstream sources, downstream effects; when, where and how to reclaim, recycle or treat. Our designs must comply with environmental regulations, but go much further still. By fully and respectfully engaging with the communities in which we operate—those whose water resources we share—we earn a social license to operate. We maintain shareholder value and preserve the public's trust, helping ensure that we'll be welcomed back to do more, again.
- Approach industrial development in an integrated way: By considering the entire watershed as a unit, we find sustainable solutions that minimize tailings and water use, and have a positive impact on the bottom line. Water solutions must be customized to site, hydrology, building resilience, and metallurgical processes. By bringing all the pieces together earlier in the process rather than later, we prevent errors and accidents that can ramp-up costs, damage the environment, and risk the loss of the community's hard-won goodwill.