MINING SYSTEM WITH SUSTAINABLE ENERGY RESERVOIR LEGACY

摘要

The present disclosure includes a mining system which comprises ore, waste, and a reservoir which comprises a portion of said waste through which air can flow with low resistance for storing thermal energy from a tempered air source and supplying it to a tempered air consumer, and connections for tempered air flow between said tempered air source and said reservoir and between said tempered air consumer and said reservoir. Note: As used herein, “tempered air” means air of a temperature sufficiently high to heat, or low to cool, an object to a desired temperature. For example, in a house, the furnace is a source of tempered air for heating in winter, the air conditioner a source of tempered air for cooling in summer, and the house is a consumer of tempered air.

主权项

1. A mining system comprising:
ore; waste rock, comprising rock removed to access the ore; and a thermal storage reservoir which comprises a portion of said waste rock, the waste rock arranged in at least a first layer comprising waste rocks having at least a minimum threshold size such that the layer has a void fraction of space between the individual rocks through which air can flow with low resistance; and a container surrounding the waste rock which is relatively impermeable to air flow compared to the layer of waste rock; and at least a first blower for circulation of air to or from the thermal storage reservoir, such that a flow of tempered air is controllably provided to the thermal storage reservoir to provide thermal energy thereto and a flow of air is controllably provided from the thermal storage reservoir for utilization of tempered air therefrom.