Renewables cutting costs in mining

RENEWABLE energy technologies are lowering costs for miners by up to 50 per cent, according to new research from Deloitte.

In its Renewables in Mining: Rethink, Reconsider, Replay report Deloitte explores the role of renewables in mining, where energy is one of the biggest expenses – about 30 per cent of total operating costs.

“Our analysis shows that having an effective energy management program in place, and with renewables a major component of this, miners can substantially reduce their energy costs – by up to 25 per cent in existing operations and 50 per cent in new mines,” Deloitte mining leader David Cormack said.

Mr Cormack said this involved a willingness to rethink operational processes; for example installing mobile renewable solutions that could be dismantled and moved to other sites after a project closes.