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KAZ Minerals is constantly seeking to improve the energy efficiency of its facilities.
KAZ Minerals seeks to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment and raise environmental awareness amongst its employees, contractors and suppliers. The Group has an Environmental Policy which sets out its commitment to environmental protection, reduction of emissions and waste and efficient consumption of resources such as energy and water.
The Group conducts detailed environmental due diligence prior to the development of new mining projects and continually monitors the impact of its activities on the environment, publishing key performance indicators on an annual basis. The measurement basis for the Group’s diesel consumption was updated for 2023 and 2022 reporting.
The Health, Safety and Sustainability (‘HSS’) Committee is a Board committee which is responsible for oversight of the Group’s environmental policies, reporting, standards and compliance. Senior management is responsible for the Group’s overall environmental performance. For more details on the HSS Committee, please refer to the HSS Committee report on page 80 of this report.
| 2023 | 0.19 |
| 2022 | 0.19 |
| 2021 | 0.19 |
| 2020 | 0.20 |
| 2019 | 0.20 |
| 2018 | 0.22 |
| 2017 | 0.24 |
| 2016 | 0.46 |
| 2015 | 0.86 |
In 2023, KAZ Minerals maintained the energy efficiency of its operations at the historically low level of 0.19 TJ of energy used per kt of sulphide ore processed. Since the Group’s first full year of operations following the Restructuring in 2014, management has focused on long-term operational improvements to enable KAZ Minerals to produce copper as efficiently as possible. The Group’s operating portfolio is now dominated by the large scale, open pit mines at Aktogay and Bozshakol which benefit from significant economies of scale, with modern grinding and flotation technology employed at the concentrators, which drives further efficiency.
During 2023, the Group operated above design capacity at both sulphide concentrators at Aktogay, which achieved a combined throughput of 54.4 Mt, as well as both Bozshakol concentrators and the Bozymchak concentrator. These operational achievements enabled the Group to maintain its historically low level of energy use per tonne of sulphide ore processed in line with 2022. Additionally, the Aktogay and Bozshakol mines benefit from a low strip ratio, with limited volumes of rock required to be removed per tonne of ore extracted, which also drives efficiency.
| Energy intensity1 | 0.19 | 0.19 |
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 12.54 | 11.96 |
| Diesel | 3.28 | 3.02 |
| Heat | 1.12 | 1.12 |
| Other | 0.14 | 0.15 |
| Total | 17.08 | 16.25 |
1TJ/kt sulphide ore processed
| Total | 17.08 | 16.25 |
| Energy intensity1 | 0.19 | 0.19 |
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aktogay | 8.46 | 7.92 |
| Bozshakol | 5.30 | 5.01 |
| East Region | 2.97 | 3.00 |
| Bozymchak | 0.35 | 0.32 |
1 TJ/kt sulphide ore processed.
During 2023, the Group used 17.08 PJ of energy from all sources, a 5% increase on the prior year (2022: 16.25 PJ). The increase in energy use was driven by a 5% increase in electricity usage compared with 2022, aligned with the 4% increase in ore throughput at the Group’s concentrators. In addition, diesel usage rose by 9% as the volume of rock moved in 2023 increased by 13% compared with 2022.
As the Group’s open pit mines at Aktogay and Bozshakol deepen and widen, the Group expects diesel consumption to increase. Through continuous improvement initiatives, the Group seeks to minimise fuel consumption.
The energy intensity of the Group’s activities remained at 0.19 TJ per kt of sulphide ore processed as the increase in energy usage was offset by higher throughput at the Group’s concentrators in 2023.
| Total | 12.54 | 11.96 |
| Electricity intensity1 | 0.14 | 0.14 |
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aktogay | 7.02 | 6.55 |
| Bozshakol | 3.85 | 3.73 |
| East Region | 1.49 | 1.53 |
| Bozymchak | 0.18 | 0.16 |
1 TJ/kt sulphide ore processed.
The Group’s electricity consumption rose by 5% to 12.54 PJ in 2023 (2022: 11.96 PJ). The most notable change in year was at Aktogay, where electricity consumption rose by 7%, aligned with the 8% increase in ore throughput in 2023 compared with the prior year. At Bozshakol, volumes of ore processed remained broadly unchanged year on year, but the electricity consumption at the site increased by 3% as the hardness of the ore is increasing as the pit deepens.
| Total | 3.28 | 3.02 |
| Diesel intensity1 | 0.029 | 0.030 |
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aktogay | 1.43 | 1.37 |
| Bozshakol | 1.45 | 1.27 |
| East Region | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| Bozymchak | 0.14 | 0.14 |
1 TJ/kt ore mined.
Diesel consumption across the Group of 3.28 PJ represented an 9% increase compared with the prior year (2022: 3.02 PJ). Diesel consumption at Bozshakol rose by 14% as rock moved in the year increased by 17%. At Aktogay, diesel consumed increased by 4% in the year, driven by a 7% increase in rock moved. Overall diesel intensity, measured as TJ of diesel per kt of ore mined, remained broadly consistent with 2022.