Planning for Sustainability

Oonagh leads our sustainability programme and her priority every year is measuring, reporting on, and obtaining certification for carbon neutrality which we’ve held since 2019.  Over the past four years we have reduced overall carbon emissions by 75%.

Working across a multidisciplinary team, Oonagh identifies ways to reduce our current and future carbon emissions and implements sustainability projects, such as our native tree nursery.

The importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and sustainability is increasingly recognized across all industries.  Oonagh dedicates a substantial portion of her time to researching the latest sustainability trends and sharing this information with the rest of the team through presentations and staff newsletters, helping to bring sustainability to the forefront of all that we do.

Her aim is to produce a major shift in our culture – like the one that has already taken place in Northern Ireland with respect to health & safety. We want everyone in the company to think about sustainability every day and for it to be a consideration in all of our decision-making.

We caught up with Oonagh to learn more about our future carbon footprint plans and some of the challenges going forward. 

Q: What are you working on to reduce the carbon footprint of the proposed mine?

A: "It’s important to realize that each stage of our project - exploration, permitting, construction, operations and rehabilitation/closure - has a different level and mix of emissions. Much like we do with our existing operations at the permitting stage, for the future mine our initial focus is on the aspects that will make the biggest difference in reducing our carbon emissions. The first step was quantifying where the emissions are going to come from at the future mine. The projections clearly identified mining consumables as the biggest category. This includes supplies for the mine such as concrete, steel and explosives. These materials that we will purchase come with an existing carbon footprint, depending on how they are sourced or manufactured. So, the next step is talking to our potential suppliers for these materials and getting more information about their product range and associated emissions. At this stage, we are also letting them know that sustainability is an important piece of the competitive process to secure a supply contract with Dalradian. Then we can collaborate with like-minded suppliers to achieve emissions reductions throughout the mine’s supply chain."

Q: What’s next after that?

A: "The quest for further reductions to our carbon footprint is an ongoing process. One of the advantages of building a mine now is being able to incorporate all the latest technology. So, we will continue to look at our options for alternative fuels and keep up with innovations in electric-powered underground mining equipment. Electrification started with the smallest machines, and, over time, larger equipment is also being electrified as batteries become more powerful. Because our project is in Tyrone, we are close to some of the global leaders in engineering and manufacturing of mining equipment. There are also excellent enviro-tech firms locally so we will have some great partners to work with on our sustainability journey."

Q: What are some of the challenges you face in carbon reduction planning for the future mine?

A: "As you can well imagine, there are differing levels of commitment and preparedness among businesses in our region. Some companies are more advanced than us in their planning and others are not as advanced, but we all need to work together to lower carbon emissions. There is also a level of uncertainty regarding fuel sources and availability, including the impact of emerging fuel types such as hydrogen and biodiesel. Our plans will continue to evolve, and we need to maintain a degree of flexibility to be able to respond to opportunities as they arise."