Bringing together resource companies in the South West, the Ngwayir Award (pronounced “na-wa-yeah”) provides an opportunity to share learnings and foster collaboration by showcasing innovative projects which engage community, deliver sustained positive environmental outcomes, and demonstrate a commitment to “going the extra mile.”
The Ngwayir Award is underpinned by three central pillars:
- Sharing best practice
- Showcasing innovation
- Celebrating success
Congratulations to SW Ngwayir Award finalist South32 for their innovative Noise.AI project.
Noise.AI is a machine learning technology that classifies mining operational noise sources in environmental noise monitoring data with comparable accuracy to a subject matter expert.
Noise.AI can provide immediate assessment of noise exceedance alerts generated by an offsite noise monitoring system, enabling timely response to operational noise levels and efficient management of mining operational noise compliance.
It is anticipated that Noise.AI will process around 120,000 noise alerts per year for the Boddington Bauxite Mine, freeing up approximately 2000 work hours for pit control personnel to focus on higher value (safety and production) tasks.
Well done South32, and good luck in the finals!
The winner of the SW Ngwayir Award, determined by popular vote by members of the South West Environment Forum, will be announced in October 2021.
South West Environment Forum visits Simcoa Operations
Last month, Simcoa hosted CME’s South West Environment Forum at its operations in Bunbury. CME members were taken on a tour of Simcoa’s Kemerton site, learning about Australia’s only silicon manufacturing company and the fascinating operation of its arc electric furnaces.
Members shared updates on their company’s environmental activities and approvals, and discussed progress of various environmental legislative and policy reforms. Members also enjoyed presentations from the finalists of CME’s South West Ngwayir Award – Talison, South32 and Albemarle.
Presentation from the Chief Scientist of the United National Environment Program (UNEP)
Together with Carbon Neutral and Clayton Utz, CME was pleased to co-host an event with Dr Andrea Hinwood, the UNEP Chief Scientist. Dr Hinwood, spoke about the task ahead and the steps required to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and the role of business in these important efforts. The co-benefits of restoration to halt and reverse the degradation across our ecosystems were a key focus as well the need to reduce and offset carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Dr Hinwood also highlighted the challenges and opportunities for reducing methane emissions, noting it accounts for roughly 30 per cent of global warming. While carbon dioxide emissions decelerated during the COVID-19 lockdowns, atmospheric methane increased dramatically. Additionally, because methane breaks down much faster (decades compared to centuries for CO2), reducing methane emissions now would have a material impact in the near term.
