Our Copper Business to Adopt Environmental Traceability Technology

posted: 05/04/2022

Our integrated copper business, the Horne Smelter and the Canadian Copper Refinery (CCR), will adopt environmental traceability technology that will potentially enable it to further reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and improve its recycled material content.

OPTEL, a leading global provider of supply chain traceability systems based in Quebec, announced on March 15 that it received a funding commitment from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), which helps Canadian entrepreneurs accelerate the development and deployment of globally competitive clean technology solutions.

This funding commitment will be used by OPTEL to develop and implement its carbon dioxide (CO2) traceability solution to dynamically track and assess the copper processed at both facilities. With the help of the CIRAIG research group and Propulsion Quebec, OPTEL will provide the integrated copper business with an active inventory of their GHG emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3) captured across its supply chain.

Both the Horne Smelter and the CCR Refinery, where the technology will be developed and implemented, already feature a low carbon footprint thanks to their hydroelectric power supply and the various projects completed over the years to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. I am certain this project will enable us to identify opportunities to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, which is in alignment with Glencore’s ambition to be a net-zero emissions company by 2050.

Claude Bélanger - Chief Operating Officer of Glencore’s North American Copper Assets

Our integrated copper business is eager to benefit from OPTEL’s CO2 traceability platform given its potential to dynamically measure GHG emissions as well as the quantity of recycled content, at the unit level, in the smelted and refined copper. The collected information will be fully compatible with existing and upcoming standards for further sharing with downstream stakeholders.

The architecture will provide actionable, granular, real-time data to confirm product provenance and recyclable content while maximizing production efficiencies and reducing carbon emissions. The result will be a more efficient, transparent and sustainable mineral supply upholding our Purpose to responsibly source the commodities that advance everyday life.

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