Abstract
The distant mines in the cold climate areas are significantly reliant on diesel fuel for both power production and heating due to their isolation from the power grid and natural gas pipeline. Although renewable energy solutions provide partial electricity to a few remote mines, their levelized cost has yet kept their adoption limited in comparison to diesel-generated power. As a result, for these remote, off-grid mines, diesel generators remain a feasible option. Diesel generators, conversely, lose 30–40% of their fuel heat input in their exhaust, even under ideal operating circumstances. Simultaneously, many of these remote operations solely rely on fossil fuels for heating purposes. This persistent reliance on fossil fuels for electricity and heating leads to millions of gallons of diesel usage each year, as well as significant carbon footprints. The goal of this study is to create an integrated heat, power, and carbon management plan for remote mines that includes an exhaust heat recovery system and carbon sequestration in tailings storage facilities. During the lengthy Canadian winters, the suggested method delivers direct heating. The envisioned carbon sequestration system seeks to inject diesel generator flue gas (after cooling) in tailings in a controlled manner for both surface and underground mining operations. Because of their reactivity, the tailings will store the carbon from the flue gas streams, resulting in carbon-neutral mine heat and electricity. This technology will assist remote mining, oil, and gas industries in Canada in reducing their carbon footprints and emissions.