Energy as a production input in the industrial minerals industry— past and future requirements

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 74, No. 832, 1981

BARRY JAMES, Conservation & Renewable Energy Branch, Energy, Mines & Resources Canada, Ottawa

This paper discusses past and current energy use patterns in the mining and manufacturing sectors of the industrial minerals industry. Information is presented on the primary energy input types as purchased by the industry, the quality and form of the energy actually required by the various production processes, and the residual form of this energy, either embodied in the product or rejected in gaseous and liquid waste heat streams. With the continuing concerns about the availability of energy combined with the rapidly increasing cost of energy as a production input, the reduction of energy usage through improved efficiency will undoubtedly be an increasing priority for the industry during the 1980s. Reduced energy consumption through investment to improve energy efficiency appears to be advantageous from both the corporate and national perspectives.

Keywords: Industrial minerals, Energy, Production, Productivity, Fuel, Electricity.