The Chinese translation is being made; the original is shown for now.
Antofagasta Minerals’ Minera Los Pelambres has received a new recognition, this time for its management in the recycling and recovery of end-of-life mining tyres. The recognition, given by the Michelin NFU company, highlights the results achieved by the company, which far exceeded the goals established by the Extended Producer Responsibility Law (REP Law), advancing in the transformation of this waste into new products and raw materials.
“During the first four years of operation, from 2023 to 2026, the law required us to pay 25% of the total end-of-life tyres for the period and Pelambres doubled that goal. On average, in these four years, we reached 240% in the number of tyres and 260% in tonnage,” explained Jaime Barrios Espinoza, Senior Engineer in the mine management and leader of the process.
This work is mainly led by the mine management, the area responsible for managing the end-of-life tyres generated by the operation and ensuring their treatment in accordance with the environmental requirements of the authority.
Currently, the tyres are sent to Arrigoni and Polambiente, companies located in San Francisco de Mostazal and in the commune of Lampa, respectively. A new plant under construction in Illapel will soon be added to these facilities, which will allow the Pelambres to incorporate processing capacity in the province of Choapa through local suppliers, further boosting its work to develop the local economy.
“Within our operating model, validated by the environmental management, we are processing our tyres through pyrolysis…that delivers three by-products: carbon black, pyrolytic oil and green steel. Also by chipping, with the chips used in the manufacture of rubber floors, asphalt tiles, rural roads in a mixture of concrete and rubber, synthetic grass courts and basketball court floors, as alternatives offered by the recycling of tyres carried out by Minera Los Pelambres,” explained Barrios.
From the environmental management team, Cristian Maluenda, Operational Risk Management Engineer, stressed that these results respond to the commitment to recycling goals. “Since 2023 we have had compliance beyond what is required by the regulations. That has been possible thanks to the management of the mine team,” he said.
He also highlighted the joint work with the companies in charge of processing. “We have managed to generate this alliance with the different companies and with the manager authorised by the Ministry of the Environment, which has led us to increase our recycling,” he said.
Finally, Maluenda stressed that the performance achieved represents an advance for the national mining industry in terms of environmental compliance. “We are one of the few companies that has accelerated compliance associated with the REP Law within mining in Chile,” he concluded.
The post Minera Los Pelambres exceeds its mining tyre recycling goal by 240% appeared first on International Mining.