Towards Zero Waste Mining

The Canadian mining industry’s greatest challenges are how to reduce energy consumption, recover waste energy, decrease the environmental footprint of a mine, develop and adopt new technology, and create new clean jobs while facing volatile commodity markets, increasing costs and significant competition from other jurisdictions.

In other words, the overriding challenge is how to transform mining into a zero waste industry.

With industry leaders across Canada and the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), CMIC created Towards Zero Waste Mining, an innovation strategy for the industry. We developed a business case, created technology roadmaps, identified transformational targets and are developing ground-breaking projects. TZWM is stimulating technology innovation in Canada to achieve zero waste in the industry within 10–20 years, with an integrated focus on productivity, energy and the environment. The approach ensures a gradual progression and adoption of innovative technologies, promoting more efficient and sustainable operations and reducing the environmental impact of mining projects.

CMIC technology programs are directly related to clean technology and climate change, and designed to enable the mining sector to significantly reduce energy costs, improve productivity and significantly reduce GHG emissions.