Abstract
From trucking camp modules, machinery and other equipment to remote sites to moving products from the material extraction sites, transportation is a key aspect of mining logistics. Road transportation is an essential service for the mining industry, with significant impacts, including economic costs and environmental footprint related to vehicles' greenhouse gas emissions(GHG). British Columbia’s low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), was introduced to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of fuels used in the province. Also at the Federal level, there are plans for zero emissions by 2050 and a 50% emission reduction by 2030. As a financial incentive to reward low-carbon fuels in proportion to the amount of real, measurable emissions reductions, the carbon credit market was created. This paper discusses issues related to i. measuring current emissions from mining road transportation; ii. developing low-carbon transportation options for the mining industry to support the transition to zero-emission or low-emission vehicles; iii. expanding the range of transportation technology and low-carbon fuel options for mines; and iv. calculate potential carbon credits and GHG savings based on one case study. It is shown that electrification of transportation combined with green power generation could be a viable solution for mining operations which are close to the grid. Those operations which are off-grid can generate electricity to meet their demand using low-carbon fuels (such as LNG) and offset their emission by generating green power at the mine site or elsewhere.