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Can mining play a role in our transition into cleaner energy technologies? Jane Tin an intern at the Sustainable Mineral Institute, looks at some of the issues

Chile has a mature and developed mining industry that has played an important role in the development of the country for over a century and has been at the heart of the national economy for decades.

The variation in electricity price directly impacts the economic value that can be achieved by companies employing energy efficient comminution technologies.

In previous blog posts we have shown the variability in the average electricity price in different countries (2 to 320 $US/MWh), and across different mines in the same country (20 to 140% of the country average).

In addition to the country the mine is operating in, the electricity price can depend on the geographical location, local infrastructure, fuel and generator type, the relevant energy contracts and many other factors.

The decision process around the adoption of energy efficient comminution technologies is a complex one with multiple factors at play. Depending on the company and the individual personal drivers, the weight of different motivating influences may vary between energy cost, environmental concerns, improved productivity, inadequate energy supply, carbon emissions/pricing, community perception, risk avoidance, and others.