The recent geothermal agreement should not be glossed over. If successful, the mill could get its process water heated for only the cost of pumping it (ignoring capex for this). My guess is that since copper flotation/reagent and SX/EW processes often run at moderately high temps, with the water hot but not near boiling, it's perfect for geothermal heating with a separate loop for the water that's pumped below ground to be heated. A heat exchanger would then use that water to heat the process water. This would fit their "green" intentions perfectly.
Does this sound right?
Iceland has some of the best geothermal resources, for obvious reasons, and needs to cool their water after it gets pumped back up. It gets superheated and is cooled down to about 175 F before being distributed for general heating. Does anyone have heating data for any geothermal site in the West? Nevada has some along I-80 in the western part of the state.