Plans by Santos, which negligently caused an oil spill off WA four years ago, to drill seven exploration wells off the Pilbara coast have drawn fire from an environmental group.
Alcoa and South 32's Worsley Alumina mine bauxite in WA's South-West to produce alumina that is exported to aluminium refineries.
The industry is energy-intensive mining in the jarrah forest is facing significant opposition on environmental grounds.
Alcoa will trial technology at its Wagerup alumina refinery to produce steam by renewable-powered compression instead of gas-fired heat that promises a 70% per cent emissions reduction.
If South32’s low profile coal-burning Worsley Alumina operated like Alcoa’s facilities 1.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year would be avoided: the same as Alcoa's Wagerup refinery.
WA's industrial greenhouse gas emissions are dominated by four products and a handful of companies, including a few that have managed to keep a low profile in the climate wars.
No deal with Alcoa has cost Adelaide Brighton 31% of its value and threatened its WA lime business that is warring with its neighbours in suburban Perth.
