Imagine a world where photovoltaic cells float atop tailings dams in operating mines, while wind and solar farms spread their canopies over reclaimed mine lands, generating renewable energy for use in the mines and their surrounding communities.
That scenario is one put forward by Jaina Moan, external affairs director in Nevada at The Nature Conservancy. “We’ve embarked on an initiative called Mining the Sun that is focused on the smart siting of energy infrastructure on disturbed lands with a focus on renewable energy on mine lands,” Moan said, speaking in a technical session at the American Exploration & Mining Association’s Annual Meeting held Dec. 1-6, 2019 in Sparks, NV.
