The Mechanical-Electrical Sector of the Mining Industry: Technical Innovations in the Energy Context

Mechanical-electrical personnel are present in all phases of the mining industry; the coverage is broad and diversified. Concepts of energy accounting are reviewed to pinpoint the sectors with a large energy consumption. Four sectors are reviewed: underground hard-rock mines, underground soft-rock mines, open-pit mines and mineral processing. In each sector, five or six technical innovations are analyzed as to their contribution to a more efficient use of energy.