Sustainable Biz #8 - Magazine - Page 32
Mine water heat lab insights
could supercharge clean heat
S
ix months after launch, the UK’s first
mine water heat Living Laboratory is
revealing exciting insights into what
lies beneath our feet, helping to accelerate the
safe and sustainable use of mine water as a
clean heat source.Geophysical data released
this month shows, for the first time, how
much space there is to store water within the
rocks underground and how easily this can
flow through historical mine workings.These
2 factors, known in science as porosity and
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permeability, are crucial for understanding
how much warm water is available, how
quickly it can be used and how reliably it can
provide heat.Dr Fiona Todd, geoscientist and
lead of the Mining Remediation Authority
project, said: “This is the first time we’ve been
able to collect this kind of information inside
real mine workings.“It’s a huge step forward
in understanding mine water heat resources.
These properties help us determine how
much heat is available, how quickly we can
S U S TA I N A B L E B I Z M A G A Z I N E
OCTOBER 2025
“This is the first time we’ve
been able to collect this kind
of information inside real
mine workings. It’s a huge step
forward in understanding mine
water heat resources.”
