Chilean mining operation signs agreement to recycle mining tyres.

Since early 2021, Chile has enacted its decree introducing mandatory tyre recycling for almost all types of tyres used in the country.

One of the most significant issues for Chile is the large volume of mining tyres accumulated in mines around the state. This has led to Michelin and Kal Tire developing their own pyrolysis operations to deal with the ever-mounting stockpiles of waste earthmover tyres.

Copper miner Collahuasi in northern Chile uses more than 900 tyres yearly, equivalent to about 3,200 tons of rubber. The company has 43 separate projects, including eradicating plastic bottles and recycling mill grinding balls.

Collahuasi opted for a mechanical approach to recycling its tyres and has signed a deal with Chilean recycler Rembre Tires to process its waste tyres in an “emissions-free” granulation process.

Rembre’s market for the crumb it produces is mainly the USA, but it has plans to develop its own in-house products for industrial use.