Skip to main content

Cooling a 150-year-old copper mine in NSW

Three water-cooled refrigeration plants provided a temporary mine cooling solution for the CSA Mine in Cobar, NSW.  This solution ensured safe working conditions and uninterrupted production during the summer while a permanent cooling system was procured.

Client: Cobar Management

Location: Cobar, Australia

Sectors: Mining

The Challenge

Keeping it chilly underground

As the 150-year-old CSA Mine in Cobar continued to develop underground, there was a greater demand on the mines ventilation and refrigeration systems - meaning additional cooling was required. 

Due to the further development of the mine, the existing cooling and ventilation system that was installed by Aggreko was now no longer enough to cool the entire worksite. 

Without an additional system, the workers weren’t able to access key areas of the mine in the summer - putting the future success of ongoing production at risk.

Project fact file

of interim cooling 6MW
of pre-existing cooling 14.5MW
of cooling through the summer 20MW

The Solution

A turnkey solution for underground ventilation and cooling

Whilst the mine procures a permanent cooling system from a 3rd party supplier, Aggreko provided a temporary cooling system to supplement the existing cooling plant.

We provided a solution of three separate water-cooled refrigeration plants operating on-site through the summer. The third water-cooled chiller plant was put in place as a temporary solution whilst the permanent system was procured.

The Impact

Keeping Cobar mine cool

Thanks to the quick thinking and availability of Aggreko, the extended mine ventilation and cooling system allowed the workers to have safe access to the mining areas. 

Temperatures were able to drop to safe working levels and production in the mine was allowed to continue - even in the heat of the Australian summertime. 

Aggreko's equipment provided hassle-free cooling and freed the mine up to focus on their production.

Sector manager - underground cooling, Aggreko

Mitchel Bevan