The Global Metals Awards recognizes and celebrates the best in the metals industry across 15 categories ranging from individual to company achievements. It is hosted by S&P Global Platts, the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets. 

“This recognition is an acknowledgment of the great work being done throughout our organization and sends a strong message of Hydro’s commitment to become a net-zero company by 2050,” says John Thuestad, Executive Vice President Hydro Bauxite & Alumina.

A greener energy mix at Alunorte is a key enabler of Hydro’s sustainability strategy and targets. Earlier this year, Hydro announced the final investment decision to invest BRL 1.3 billion (USD 270 million) to carry out the fuel-switch project to partly replace fuel oil consumption with natural gas, which has lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, Hydro aims to install three electrical boilers at Alunorte, replacing coal. These projects have the potential to reduce Alunorte’s annual CO2 emissions by 1.1 million tonnes and are an important enabler to reach Hydro’s emission reduction target of 30 percent by 2030.

“The company recognized that challenges from sustainability trends, such as key stakeholders, including governments, looking beyond carbon and focusing on the overall sustainability footprint, including social factors, could negatively impact Hydro’s license to operate,” said the jury in their rationale for giving Hydro the award.

In 2021, Alunorte received a license to operate a new advanced bauxite residue deposit called DRS2. By using Hydro’s press filter technology, the DRS2 only occupies one-fourth of the surface area than it did in Alunorte’s historical bauxite residue deposit (DRS1). Furthermore, Hydro’s bauxite mine Paragominas, which delivers bauxite to Alunorte, has used a methodology called Tailings Dry Backfill, which puts the leftovers from extracted bauxite back in areas that have already been mined.

Full shortlist of Hydro’s nominations for the S&P Global Platts Metals Awards 2022:

• Industry Leadership Award: Mining & Raw Materials
• Industry Leadership Award: Scrap & Recycling
• Industry Leadership Award: Aluminium
• Hilde Merete Aasheim – CEO of the year
• Pål Kildemo – Rising star individual of the year
• Corporate Social Responsibility Award