Renewable energy development is a worthy consideration for mining companies planning for mine closure and post-mine land use in Canada. In this paper, we provide information on integrating renewable energy generation into mine closure planning, show examples from around the world where alternative use of mined and disturbed sites have advanced, and demonstrate a basic cashflow model illustrating the socio-economic benefits of integrating a wind energy facility into a mining project.
This presentation will be of interest to mine operators and owners who are planning for closure and looking for a beneficial post-mine land use. We argue that renewable energy development is a superior choice when compared to traditional approaches like ecological rehabilitation, because it is faster to mature, has greater certainty of success, provides revenue following mine closure, and offers additional value in achieving net zero targets. We believe that industrially compromised mine sites play an important part of the world’s non-carbon energy transition.