Sustainability vs. Extractive Industries - Can They Co-Exist? This Company Thinks So

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The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Is it possible for mining methods and environmental sustainability to co-exist on a more intimate level? A Québec, Canada, battery materials company believes that with a higher set of standards and a stronger emphasis on accountability, it’s possible. It says that it is showing the world firsthand what it takes to be environmentally responsible by touching on the social component, the financial performance, and the long-term perspective — regardless of the stigma mining has earned to the contrary.

The company states that it was founded with a passion for sustainability and the tenacity to fight centuries-old sentiment that mining companies are terrible for the environment, cause unnecessary pollution, and are only out to take profits from the communities they pillaged.

Nouveau Monde Graphite NMG NOU says that it strives to be part of the solution, working tirelessly to build alliances in the name of a decarbonized economy and more dependable mining activities. It enters the sphere of cleantech energy by partnering with companies like Caterpillar Inc. CAT to create more efficient, electric-powered mining operations and groups like the Global Battery Alliance* to ensure that battery production supports not only green energy but also safeguards human rights while promoting health and environmental sustainability.

The end goal is to create an effective, fully integrated operation, from ore to the battery, powered by clean hydropower as the company rallies its partners and seizes opportunities to decarbonize heavy industry — creating opportunities and developing projects like the Matawinie graphite mine, which is expected to become the largest high-purity graphite producer in the Western World, and the Bécancour battery materials plant, where Nouveau Monde is creating, according to its tagline,  "green battery materials to power the energy rEVolution.” 

By developing a 100% electric mine, a world-first for open-pit mining, using renewable hydroelectricity, the company projects an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

A Sustainable Energy Revolution Might Require Mining Raw Materials

“Battery minerals cannot power a sustainable energy revolution unless their extraction and value-added transformation are done on a zero-harm basis,” said Arne H. Frandsen, chairman of Nouveau Monde. “We aim at being a catalyst for growth and shared value for people and the environment in which we live. We, as a team, develop what’s projected to be North America’s largest anode-quality natural graphite operation, supporting the electrification of mobility as well as the renewable energy storage markets.”

But, everything comes with a price, and most companies are asking themselves, “How can we reconcile society with the industry and educate consumers on the value chain of their purchases?”

Nouveau Monde says it plans to keep that price from factoring into our health, the environment, and the air we breathe. EVs and cleantech demand raw materials, and outsourcing these problems to other parts of the world is not solving the problem.

Much of the world is hesitant to embrace the potential of greener mining techniques. With some predicting global warming on the rise and the carbon footprint growing daily, there is still an understandable resistance to anything that requires disrupting local environments and leaving communities susceptible to unnecessary pollution with the creation of new mines.

The world is trying to not let bad actors halt progress being made toward a greener tomorrow — especially when so much must occur to transition away from carbon-based extraction methods toward an all-electric future. 

Zero-Harm Stems From Self-Accountability

Nouveau Monde states that it is committed to a zero-harm principle that includes industry-leading ESG standards, carbon neutrality, and traceability in powering the clean energy transition. From mining and advanced manufacturing to electric vehicles and energy storage, it strives to drive greater sustainability along the value chain and give back to the communities that support it. 

The company recently released its inaugural ESG report, giving a detailed overview of its core commitments and anchor initiatives. To find out more about how the company contributes to a host of environmental, economic, and sustainability goals across the globe and its approach to making it all happen, visit https://nmg.com/2020-esg-report/ or download the report.

*The Global Battery Alliance includes players such as Google LLC GOOGL, Microsoft Corp. MSFT, the Honda Motor Co. HMC, and Infrastructure & Energy Alternatives Inc. IEA. 

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.