techno-economic feasibility of specific "energy clusters" and contrasting investment barriers (CSIS, 2023; IDB, 2021) with updated financial models that consider hydrological volatility and the value of supply security in modern mining. This study aims to evaluate the techno-economic and strategic feasibility of integrating geothermal energy from the Southern Volcanic Axis as a base load source for large-scale mining, through the characterization of regional energy potential. 2. GLOBAL DATA AND EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS Historical analysis of the World Geothermal Congresses (WGC 1995-2020) reveals a dual expansion: linear growth in electricity generation, which increased by more than 130% (reaching 15,950 MWe), and an exponential boom in direct thermal use, which multiplied twelvefold. This evolution is supported by a direct correlation between installed capacity and generated energy, evidencing Plant Factors exceeding 73%—and up to 95% in modern plants—consolidating geothermal as the most reliable renewable base load source against solar or wind intermittency. This dynamism was accentuated in the 2015–2020 period, registering the largest historical expansion (+26.2% in capacity) and reconfiguring the geopolitical map towards a multipolar scenario (Bertani, 2010; Huttrer, 2021). While traditional leaders like the U.S. maintain moderate growth (+19.6%), new players like Turkey (+1,789%) and Kenya (+614%) have transformed their energy matrices through incentive policies, validating the technology's scalability beyond historical markets. 2.1. The Potential of Southern Peru and the Mining-Geothermal Cluster Spatial analysis by INGEMMET (2021) identifies Region 5 (Southern Volcanic Axis) as a strategic zone with heat flows of 50–80 mW/m² and gradients >100 °C/km (Figure 1a). This region concentrates high-enthalpy fields (>81 MWe) that geographically coincide with large-scale mining, defining two operational clusters (Figure 1b): the Arequipa Cluster, where Cerro Verde is located within the radius of influence of fields like Chachani and Achumani ; and the Moquegua-Tacna Cluster, linking the operations of Cuajone, Quellaveco, and Toquepala with geothermal systems like Calacoa and Tutupaca. 128
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