Mining Camp Cooling
Portable industrial cooling for mining camps, drilling operations, and remote-site crew shelters across western Canada, Alaska, and the Yukon. Cantherm Distributors stocks Portacool, MovinCool, and OceanAire for truck delivery from Winnipeg since 1993.
Mining camp cooling: what equipment goes where
Mining camp cooling typically requires three different cooling architectures across one site: high-CFM evaporative cooling for shop bays and crew shelters, refrigerant spot cooling for SCADA and electronics enclosures, and refrigerant office-grade cooling for camp-management trailers and on-site offices. Cantherm distributes all three product lines for delivery as a coordinated camp cooling package.
Shop bays, equipment maintenance buildings, and crew shelters
For high-airflow camp spaces — shop bays where heavy equipment is serviced, equipment maintenance buildings, and crew shelters with ventilation — evaporative cooling is the right answer. Portacool APEX 4000 and APEX 6500 deliver high-CFM cooling at low operating cost. Vector Climate Spartan brings British patented evaporative engineering with smart controls for premium camp installations. Both lines run on standard 120V or 208/230V power, compatible with on-site diesel generator power.
SCADA enclosures, electronics rooms, and control rooms
For temperature-and-humidity-controlled spaces — SCADA enclosures, electronics rooms, communications shelters, and control rooms — refrigerant portable spot cooling is required. MovinCool Climate Pro X (the heavy-duty industrial variant) is engineered for mining camp duty cycles. MovinCool Climate Pro 12, 18, and 26 cover smaller electronics rooms. All are built by Denso since 1982 for mission-critical 24-hour operations.
Camp office trailers and management spaces
For camp office trailers, management spaces, and on-site offices requiring office-grade temperature precision, MovinCool Climate Pro 12 or 18 portable spot coolers handle the load on standard 208/230V power.
Off-grid power compatibility
Mining camps run on generator power, not utility grid. Cantherm-distributed cooling is engineered for off-grid compatibility:
- Portacool APEX 4000 — standard 120V 15A breaker
- Portacool APEX 6500 — standard 120V or 208/230V depending on configuration
- Vector Climate Spartan — standard 208/230V industrial power
- MovinCool Climate Pro X / 18 / 26 — 208/230V industrial power
- OceanAire OWC — 3-phase commercial power for larger camp facilities
All can be powered by appropriately-sized Yanmar YDG-series diesel generators (also distributed by Cantherm) for true off-grid camp cooling. Account for compressor inrush current at startup when sizing generator capacity for refrigerant units.
Delivery to remote camp sites
Cantherm ships cooling equipment by truck from our Winnipeg warehouse across western Canada and to Alaska. Camp-specific delivery considerations:
- Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta mining operations — standard 2-3 day truck delivery
- British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon — 3-5 day truck delivery via standard freight or expedited dedicated truck
- Alaska mining operations — standard truck delivery from Winnipeg via the Alaska Highway
- Fly-in camps — Cantherm coordinates with the camp’s freight forwarding for air-cargo-compatible packaging
Frequently asked questions about mining camp cooling
What’s the most efficient cooling for mining camp shop bays?
Portacool APEX 4000 and APEX 6500 evaporative coolers deliver the best CFM-per-dollar for shop bays and crew shelters with ventilation. Operating cost is significantly lower than refrigerant AC because evaporation does the cooling work rather than a compressor. The APEX 6500 covers up to 6,500 CFM of cooled air across larger shop bays. Both run on standard 120V breakers compatible with camp generator power.
What cooling do I need for SCADA enclosures in a mining camp?
SCADA and electronics enclosures need refrigerant portable spot cooling, not evaporative — electronics require LOW humidity that evaporative coolers add to the air. MovinCool Climate Pro X (heavy-duty industrial variant) is engineered for mining camp duty cycles with 24-hour mission-critical reliability. Climate Pro 12, 18, and 26 cover smaller enclosures. Built by Denso since 1982.
Can mining camp cooling run on diesel generator power?
Yes. All Cantherm-distributed cooling lines are engineered for off-grid generator compatibility. Portacool APEX evaporative units run on standard 120V 15A or 208/230V. MovinCool Climate Pro runs on 208/230V. OceanAire OWC water-cooled units run on 3-phase commercial power. Cantherm also distributes Yanmar YDG-series diesel generators sized to pair with cooling deployments for true off-grid camp operations.
How fast can Cantherm deploy mining camp cooling?
Standard Portacool APEX, MovinCool Climate Pro, and Vector Climate Spartan units stock in Cantherm’s Winnipeg warehouse for 2-5 day truck delivery across western Canada and Alaska depending on camp location. Cantherm coordinates with camp freight forwarding for fly-in sites. Call 800.661.WARM for inventory check and delivery timing on specific configurations.
Does Cantherm coordinate full camp cooling packages?
Yes. Cantherm sales engineering coordinates the full cooling package across mining camp building types: high-CFM Portacool/Vector evaporative for shop bays and crew shelters, MovinCool Climate Pro X for SCADA and electronics, MovinCool Climate Pro 12/18 for camp offices, and Yanmar YDG diesel generators for off-grid power. Two decades of mining and oil & gas camp deployment experience. Call 800.661.WARM.
What about cooling for fly-in mining camps in the far north?
Cantherm coordinates with the camp’s freight forwarding for fly-in sites. Portacool APEX evaporative coolers and MovinCool Climate Pro spot coolers are air-cargo-compatible with standard packaging adjustments. Larger OceanAire OWC water-cooled units typically require ground transport. Call 800.661.WARM to discuss your specific fly-in camp configuration.