Australian Mining Company to Utilize Unused Hydropower Capacity in Kimberley Region

Tivan, an Australian fluorite mining company, has announced plans to utilize the unused 15 megawatts capacity of the Ord River hydro power plant in Western Australia's Kimberley region. The opportunity arose following the closure of the Argyle Diamond Mine in 2020, which previously utilized the hydropower plant's capacity.

The mining company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pacific Hydro, the power station operators, to evaluate the use of the redundant power supply at their mine site located 85 kilometers from the hydro plant. Tivan aims to take advantage of the existing infrastructure left by the diamond mine and harness the renewable, durable, and dispatchable nature of hydropower for their operations.

Tivan's Speewah fluorite project is expected to have a baseline power requirement of around 8 megawatts. The company believes that the available hydropower could also benefit local Indigenous communities and tourism operators in the region by allowing them to transition from diesel-generated power to cleaner hydropower.

Why this matters: The utilization of unused hydropower capacity by Tivan not only supports the company's mining operations but also promotes the use of renewable energy in the region. This move could set a precedent for other industries to harness existing clean energy infrastructure, benefiting both the environment and local communities.

Tivan expects to have a pre-feasibility study for the Speewah fluorite project completed by mid-year. "The available power could also benefit local Indigenous communities and tourism operators by allowing them to move from diesel-generated power to hydropower," a company spokesperson stated, highlighting the potential positive impact of this initiative beyond the mining sector.

Key Takeaways

• Australian fluorite miner Tivan to utilize 15MW of unused Ord River hydropower
• Tivan signs MoU with Pacific Hydro to evaluate using hydropower for mining operations
• Tivan's Speewah project to have 8MW baseline power requirement, can benefit local communities
• Utilizing unused hydropower promotes renewable energy use, sets precedent for other industries
• Tivan expects to complete pre-feasibility study for Speewah project by mid-2024