Lime rock storage solution targets greenhouse gas reduction

A new lime rock storage facility south-west of Geraldine aims to reduce a quarry site’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60%.

Ravensdown fertiliser co-operative says the shed, built at the Geraldine Lime site, will store more than 10,000 tonnes of unprocessed rock so that it can be kept dry over winter, without the need for fuel to dry it out, and then processed in optimum conditions over summer.

The company claims the emissions reduction will be the equivalent to taking 250 cars off the road.

Quarry manager, Roger Buckingham, said the new facility will reduce costs by reducing electricity and diesel consumption as well as eliminating the transport and use of approximately 350 tonnes of coal annually.

“The solution to build a rock shed was a simple yet effective one that was largely driven by our people on the ground who work at and know the site well,” Buckingham said.

“A range of alternative fuels were initially explored for reducing reliance on coal.

“However, a shed is the lowest cost and risk solution that will mitigate climate change impacts while also improving productivity at the quarry.”

The company says the shed is simple in its construction, being made from shipping containers while the roof is a steel frame with a flexible poly canvas material similar to a truck cover.

“The purpose of the shed is to keep dry feed rock protected from the elements while also allowing airflow for a natural drying effect, thereby eliminating the need for a coal fired drier.”

Allanah Kidd, the company’s head of sustainability, said they acknowledged the relationship between the environment and their products and activities.

“Our commitment to the environment now forms a guiding principle in our business planning and development,” Kidd said.

“A key goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 in line with 1.5 degrees of warming and this project is a significant step towards that target.”

Kidd said the Geraldine Lime facility is a great example of how smart thinking can lead to an innovative solution and can make a difference to climate change.

“These sorts of initiatives have a positive and lasting impact on the environment and the way we do business.”

The emissions reduction project has been co-funded by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s (EECA) technology demonstration fund.

“We were fortunate to receive a grant from EECA to help fund construction.

“They contributed 30% of the $540,000 cost ($155,000, with the remainder, $385,000, coming from Ravensdown).