Low temperature geothermal resources in the Canadian Shield: The feasibility of using water from flooded mines as an energy source in Northern Quebec

ABSTRACT: With an average geothermal gradient of 10 °C km-1, the Canadian Shield does not host conventionally attractive geothermal resources. Due to the abundance of abandoned mines that have been flooded by geothermally heated groundwater, however, significant amounts of energy can be extracted at high flow rates. When coupled with heat pump systems, it can be used as an environmentally friendly heating source for nearby infrastructure. The Copper Rand mine, studied for that purpose, is situated near the town of Chibougamau, at the gateway to Northern Quebec. A numerical model was developed to simulate the extraction of water and heat from its underground workings, with reinjection occurring in another mine 2.5 km away. Preliminary results suggest that such a system could offer thermal energy on the order of 108 MJ a-1 for a production period of 25 years, with a thermal power output exceeding 4 MW.