Minera Alumbrera recycled 14,750 tons of end-of-life tires (ELTs) that were used throughout the development of the Bajo de la Alumbrera mine. In this way, the life cycle of these mining materials was given new meaning, as they are now being used in playgrounds and sports fields across the country.
By Panorama Minero
The work began during the closure phase of Alumbrera and recently reached the milestone of having recycled all large mining tires, equivalent to 3,100 units. This environmental achievement is complemented by the final disposal of 70% of light vehicle tires and rubber waste, with the goal of completing the total by the end of 2025.
“This project transforms a potential environmental liability into a concrete opportunity for innovation and local development. This result is part of our commitment to the Mine Closure Plan—approved and supervised by the relevant authorities—which promotes sustainable actions with triple impact for the community,” said Gabriel López Vázquez, Environmental Manager.
The outcome not only has environmental value but also aims to generate economic and social benefits for the province. For example, during Alumbrera’s closure phase, the company supported the development of Newco in establishing a treatment plant in the Belén Department, Catamarca, dedicated to recycling industrial waste. The company also issues the corresponding final disposal certificates.
Thanks to Alumbrera’s support and coordination with public and private stakeholders, this initiative became the first plant in the country dedicated exclusively to recycling end-of-life tires (ELTs) from the mining industry. “We are very pleased to be a key supplier in Alumbrera’s Mine Closure Plan and to provide 100% local employment through the hiring of operational staff in Belén, Andalgalá, and Santa María,” said Andrés Forenza, General Manager of Newco.
All of the company’s employees are local residents, who carry out tasks related to the reduction, recycling, and reuse of used tires. These materials are later transported to an integrated waste treatment center in the province of Santa Fe, where they are transformed into rubber pellets highly valued for their shock-absorbing properties.
Víctor Ríos, Environmental Supervisor, noted that “the plant installed in Belén not only solved a long-standing environmental challenge but also created jobs, opened new production chains, and became a replicable model for the region.”
The ELTs are later used to manufacture everyday products such as granulated rubber, steel, textiles, flooring, tiles, posts, curbs, speed bumps, and drainage systems used in sports fields, playgrounds, and eco-friendly pavements, among others. In this way, waste materials are reintroduced into a productive cycle under the principles of the circular economy, with a regenerative and low-impact approach.
As part of a modern mining model committed to generating local benefits, we promote an approach that closes cycles responsibly and opens new opportunities with social and environmental purpose, in partnership with suppliers that foster local development.
