Influence of mine planning and design on the hydroelectric potential in the Peruvian mining industry

Against the background of the increasing demand for electricity in Peru, which is directly related to the growth of the Peruvian mining industry, the utilization of hydropower within a mining operation as an additional power source was investigated. By a consecutive literature review, different areas with hydroelectric potential could be identified in a mining operation. On the basis of this, the following four different application scenarios freshwater supply and water discharge via pipeline, mineral processing plant, tailings storage facility, and heap leaching were selected for further investigation. Subsequently, these were assessed in terms of their conventional mine planning. From this investigation, planning parameters for the individual scenarios were derived and clustered into planning categories. By means of a three-stage evaluation procedure, the clustered parameters were examined in terms of their influence on the hydroelectric potential. In a first step, parameters with a limiting function were identified, for which further consideration of the utilization of hydropower in a scenario may no longer reasonable. Second, parameters with direct influence that can both improve and degrade the hydroelectric potential were identified. Finally, numerous indirectly influencing parameters were derived, which also may have minor effect on the potential due to their consideration in conventional mine planning of a particular scenario. In a subsequent case study on the introduction of hydropower generation in the Cañariaco Norte greenfield project, the derived parameters were applied. The results of the case study demonstrated that the planning parameters can be utilized for the purpose of investigating the implementation as well as the optimization of the hydroelectric potential in a mining operation