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TO BE NUMBER 1 IN WHAT WE DO
MACA.NET.AU

The Kwinana hydroxide facility represents IGO’s first foray into downstream value addition
ling merits are Greenbushes and Kwinana.
These are 20-40 year projects which are on
the grid, and there are huge opportunities to
collaborate with others to cornerstone a larg-
er renewables project.”
The decarbonisation strategy extends be-
yond power into mobile equipment.
“We are starting to think how we transition
from diesel mobile equipment to renewable
options whether that is through batteries,
trolley-assist or hydrogen and other fuels,”
Bradford said.
“At Kwinana, we are signed up to the Kwi-
nana waste-to-heat renewable energy pro-
ject and at Greenbushes we are signed up
to a similar scheme. There is just a ground-
swell of support across the mining space for
renewables and energy transition.”
‘Walking the talk’ is an integral part of IGO’s
public image and it is something which gen-
erates benefits far beyond strong commod-
ity prices and attracting ethical investors. For
Bradford, it means future-proofing the com-
pany by ensuring IGO employees have a pur-
pose in wider society.
“Pride is something which is hugely impor-
and commitment, we have access to all the “The critical minerals category is going to tant for me and is one of the recurring ques-
tools and technologies to drive discovery. In get very big – today it is all about nickel, lithi- tions we ask in our engagement surveys,” he
some areas, we are using technology we de- um, copper and cobalt but what about silver said. “Pride for working at IGO is important in
velop ourselves which is right at the forefront for instance, you need that for solar panels, what we ask our people in our surveys.
of exploration geoscience.” when does that stop being a precious metal “Our company’s purpose, that focus on
The company has largely focused its and become a critical metal? From time to clean energy metals and trying to make that
search on WA provinces but the exploration time, we talk about being constructive on rare contribution to a better planet, really reso-
division remains keen on other domains. earths but purely from an exploration point- nates with people.”
“In South Australia we are doing really of-view,” he said. “We get good rare earths After a near 40-year career in the sector,
good generative work, taking a new and dif- value in assays, so it makes sense to look at it is obvious Bradford has settled on what
rare earths but we are not talking makes a good mining company and good
about anything outside of those mining leader.
key commodities currently.” “People are the lifeblood of any business
Regardless of whether the com- and we describe ourselves as a people-
pany expands into PGMs, rare centric business,” he said. “We try to un-
earths or vanadium, it is apparent it derstand what a desired culture is, whether
will stay on the clean energy path. that is investing in career development plans
That is as true for operations as it or the next generation of leaders and par-
is for end product. ticipants through sponsorship of vacation
“We’re testing three different programmes and graduate programmes. It
battery technologies at Nova and is part of creating the right environment, so
are also committed to putting bat- people want to come to work.”
tery storage in as part of the up- At a time when every mining company
grade of our solar farm,” Bradford is battling to retain staff, it may be the IGO-
explained. “The spinning capacity Western Areas tie up is the greatest recruit-
ferent look to a province prospective for cop- currently is the diesel generators but in the ment drive of the decade.
per,” Bradford said. “We are also collaborat- future, it will be the batteries. This means we “If you think about the current market, as
ing on a nickel opportunity in NSW and the will be able to turn off the generators for up to a one-mine company [that we are managing
projects we have put together in the Northern nine hours a day. That is us walking our talk.” ourselves] your capacity to attract people and
Territory are prospective for Nova-style nickel The consolidation of Western Areas’ as- provide them with career paths is limited and
mineralisation.” sets presents further opportunity to apply de- Western Areas is the same,” Bradford reflect-
While copper, nickel and lithium are at the carbonisation strategies. ed. “By combining in one story we create a
centre of IGO’s clean energy strategy, there “Odysseus is a long-life mine, which much more compelling value proposition. So,
is an entire – ever expanding – suite of com- means an opportunity to put renewable pro- while shareholder value is the main driver of
modities that could equally apply. Bradford, jects in to change the look and feel straight the transaction, what a fantastic parallel con-
though, insists a cautious approach on being away,” Bradford said. sequence that is to have.”
distracted by other opportunities. “The other two with even more compel- – Dominic Piper

aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT JULY 2022 Page 43