Enhancement of energy efficiency of mining industry in the North owing to heat energy facilities with recycling of secondary energy resources

Development of a power supply optimization procedure for remote mines in the Russian Far North through integration of electric power and heat generation is discussed. After analyzing operational data, the thermal behavior equation and the technical-and-economic model based on the asset value evaluation are proposed. The detail analysis of the structure and dynamics of energy consumption during geological exploration expeditions, including Dukat and Chara–Tokko, reveals a steady exceedance of heat loads over electric loads by 1.5–3 times at the low efficiency of the actual generating equipment. The developed methodological framework sets a quantitative connection between electric power of diesel power plants, capacity of heat recovery units and heat load of a power consumer, which can allow exact calculation of potential of organic fuel substitution for secondary energy resources. A case-study of the Dukat expedition showed a decrease in the heat supply expenditures by 26.2%. Recycling of secondary energy resources, namely, rejected heat of diesel power plants, shortens the critical distance of the national power network connection by 6–7 times, and expands the range of use of stand-alone power facilities. The quantitative evaluation of the influence exerted by furnace oil cost and by remoteness of objects on the choice of an optimal power service chart is performed. The obtained results prove that the proposed approach enables an increase in the overall efficiency of crude energy of fuel up to 70–80%, with an appreciable reduction of the dependence of mines on the imported fuel and with an enhanced economic sustainability of mines in the strategic regions in the Far North of Russia. 

Podarevsky R. D., Merkulov M. V., Kormes A. A., Adamova L. S. Enhancement of energy efficiency of mining industry in the North owing to heat energy facilities with recycling of secondary energy resources. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(6):145-158. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_6_0_145.

R.D. Podarevsky¹, Mining Engineer, e-mail: podarevsky-r@mail.ru,
M.V. Merkulov¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: merkulovmv@mgri.ru,
A.A. Kormes¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: kormesaa@mail.ru,
L.S. Adamova¹, Senior Lecturer, e-mail: adamovals@mgri.ru,
¹ Sergo Ordzhonikidzе Russian State Geological Prospecting University (MGRI-RSGPU), 117997, Moscow, Russia.

R.D. Podarevsky, e-mail: podarevsky-r@mail.ru.

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