A new partnership between multinational mining company BHP and Novum Energy will see used earth moving tyres from all seven BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) and BHP Mitsui Coal (BMC) recycled into heavy and light oils, carbon black, syngas, and steel. The partnership will also create up to 30 new jobs at Queensland’s Bowen Basin in Australia.
BMA Asset President James Palmer said that recycling the mining tyres would create new jobs for the community, increase sustainability and reduce emissions at BHP’s Queensland operations.
BHP is expected to feed some 2,000 tyres per annum to Novum on their end of the deal, seeing some 19,000 tonnes of rubber producing 9 million litres of oil, 4,500 tonnes of pyrolysis black and nearly 2,500 tonnes of steel.
“We are constantly looking for ways to increase the sustainability of our operations, reduce emissions and contribute to regional communities, and this new BHP-led initiative does just that,” Palmer said.
“New technology means rather than storing old tyres, which weigh around 4.9 tonnes each, they can be now be recycled and turned into new products. This helps us create a circular economy in the region by re-purposing waste locally and creating activity in the region.”