Page 18 - Respond 2020 Magazine

RESPOND

ENAEX REDUCING MINING’S

With 98 years of experience in the explosives industry,
Enaex is positioned as the business partner of various
global blue-chip mining companies. Recognised as CARBON FOOTPRINT
the most important Latin-American rock fragmentation
service supplier, with one of the largest ammonium nitrate
production complexes worldwide. Enaex has a global WITH HIGH STANDARDS AND
presence, a solid financial position, low debt levels and is
controlled by Sigdo Koppers Group.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Enaex – Customer-Driven operations, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, typical of the
production of nitric acid, have been significantly reduced.
Ammonium nitrate (AN) is a natural-based chemical used
These projects can reduce more than 90% of potential total
in the mining industry as a blasting agent. Enaex is the only
emissions, reaching up to 1 million tCO2eq annually. Each
local producer in Chile with a capacity of 800,000 tons per
year 50% of these emissions reductions are verified and
year, increasing manufacturing capability by 34,000 tons
certified by the United Nations Framework Convention on
per year during 2018 with the acquisition of Industrias
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and issued as carbon credits,
Cachimayo in Peru, serving as the logistic hub for local and
which can be sold as offsets in the EU carbon market.
international sales of AN as a raw material for the production
of several types of explosives. The CDM, born from the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, has allowed
Enaex to grow in a sustainable way with low carbon ammonium
With a clear vision of delivering premium solutions in key
nitrate production. Since 2009, Enaex has calculated its
mining regions globally, internationalisation was consolidated
corporate carbon footprint in order to understand both the
in 2015 through Davey Bickford and Britanite acquisitions.
magnitude of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated
Industrias Químicas IBQ (Britanite), is the leader in the civil
by its production processes and the opportunities to reduce
explosive and blasting service market in Brazil, with over
these emissions and optimise operations.
50 years of experience in the explosives industry and
initiation systems production. Davey Bickford is a renowned In Chile, Enaex is recognised as a leading company in climate
international leader in Electronic Initiation Systems for the change management, representing 22% of the 22.3 million
mining industry, with almost 200 years of experience and CERs issued to Chilean corporations since 2006. The Chilean
international presence, with production and R&D capacities Ministry of Mining named them the “Chilean Company that
in France. Best Represents the Mining Industry”, according to Juan
Andres Errázuriz, Enaex CEO.
The company was founded in 1920, starting AN production in
the 80s, with Prillex América plant construction in Mejillones, The company increased electrical self-sufficiency by 60%
to enable self-supply of this explosives main raw material. at Prillex complex by using surplus steam to replace energy
In the 90s, once Sigdo Koppers took control of Enaex, from the grid, which is not only a net saving in operating
their experience as a worldwide comprehensive supplier costs but also partial independence from the SING.
of products and services for the mining and industrial
Today, all of the above represent a carbon footprint 40%
operations conglomerate led to expansion of nitric acid and
lower than the same process under standard conditions;
AN production.
achieving, in addition, disconnection of the relation between
Prillex plant
As a result of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects emissions and productive processes as can be seen in the
chart below.
implemented in Prillex plant, within Panna3 and Panna4

In Peru, Enaex is producing green AN in Industrias about the impact they are having locally. That information
Cachimayo, as nitric acid and ammonia production is is relayed back to the company’s steering committee, led
triggered through water electrolysis, using electrical energy by Enaex’s CEO. The committee seriously considers the
generated in Machu Picchu hydroelectric plant. Through community’s suggestions for positive improvement.
water electrolysis, the plant is designed to produce 50 tons
Improved quantity and quality of education is a constructive
per day of liquid ammonia. In its continuous improvement
impact the company aspires to have on its communities.
efforts, Enaex is currently evaluating diverse projects to
Throughout 2018, the Prillex and Rio Loa plant offered
achieve greener production, from which the green emulsion
internships for 12 and 20 local students respectively, with
lines with 120,000 tons per year for line1 and 240,000 tons
the possibility of full-time employment for high-potential
per year in line2 capacities for 2019 in Peru. In Chile, Enaex
students. “One of the company’s social commitments is
is also targeting the self-supply of green ammonia for the
to provide ongoing support for education and technical-
Prillex plant, in the figure above. The green ammonia would
professional training in the community,” states Edmundo
be produced locally, based on green hydrogen generated by
Jimenez, Enaex Latam West VP.
local renewable power sources.
enaex.com
Out in the community and due to the nature of its business,
the company holds regular meetings to gather feedback
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