Tactical problems with strategic consequences: A case study of how petroleum hydrocarbon suppliers support compliance and reduce risks in the minerals sector

Turlough F. Guerin

Resources Policy, 2021, vol. 74, issue C

Abstract: While there are tactical problems arising from using petroleum hydrocarbons, the strategic issues are considerably more material for the mining sector and society more broadly through their contribution to climate change. The supplied petroleum hydrocarbon life-cycle for refined products is a framework that enables structured engagement between supplier and customer on a range of sustainable development issues because it is an example of an input into the mining industry that affects the entire mining and minerals processing value chain. To support a transition to alternative energy sources on mine, mining and minerals processing companies are seizing the opportunity that petroleum hydrocarbon suppliers offer to their own businesses by engaging with them proactively. This study reports a case study of a mining company in eastern Australia that engaged with its petroleum hydrocarbon supplier using an engagement process based on human-centred design. The results illustrated the use of a human-centred design approach to supply chain engagement which re-oriented the supplier to take increased responsibility for fuel and lubricants impacts at the mine, and find alternative energy solutions. This study is an example of how industry self-regulation can be harnessed to drive incremental change at an operational level in the mining sector. In conclusion, the mining operation harnessed an existing supplier relationship to raise challenges posed by sourcing hydrocarbons, and to secure commitments from the supplier to improve their environmental performance in relation to supplied fuels and lubricants. Recommendations arising are for mining companies to capitalise on existing relationships with hydrocarbon suppliers to drive greater shared ownership of liabilities, as well as leveraging supplier capability to secure sustainable energy sources for mining operations. The case study illustrates the value of the time investment with proactive supplier engagement.

Keywords: Environmental performance; Suppliers; Minerals; Hydrocarbons; Risk management; Transitioning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420721003202
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:74:y:2021:i:c:s0301420721003202

DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102310

Access Statistics for this article

Resources Policy is currently edited by R. G. Eggert

More articles in Resources Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().