MINING TYRES
Rodrigo Reyes , Kal Tire Chile Recycling Plant Manager ( right ) and Carlos Zuniga , Kal Tire Chile General Manager ( left )
tyre recycling plant in the country . He said : “ We are now receiving end of life tyres from many of the mines in the area and have agreements in place taking us to the end of 2025 . When you look at the regulatory situation – 2027 is not far away and that year the REP Law will require 75 % of imported mining tyres to be recycled , a huge increase from the current 25 %.”
Having started with a delivery of tyres from Minera Los Pelambres , Kal Tire is now receiving some tyres from the major tyre manufacturers who are the main companies responsible for recycling under the law as they are the importers to Chile .
It is true that the REP Law does still allow for tyres to be shredded and pyrolysis is not a requirement – and that a lot of tyres are being dealt with in this way – but there is still a burden of proof with regard to sales of the downstream product or products .
Zuniga : “ According to the law , each year you must put forward a plan that details the recycling process plans that are in place but you are also obligated to report to the Chilean government that at least 25 % of the total tonnes that you received in the previous year was processed and sent to approved end users , and this includes any relevant contracts and invoices .”
What about interest from the mines themselves in recycling their stockpiles of used tyres , even though they are not legally obliged currently , for circularity and sustainability reasons ? “ There has been huge interest , as with most regulations the mines understand the REP Law well , in that the obligation lies with the importers , including collection and transport of the tyres to the recycling location . We have seen a lot of pressure on those importers coming from the mines .”
But all that said , a small number of mines are still looking to take some action – a good example being the Sierra Gorda copper mine ( KGHM 55 %/ South32 45 %) which has stated its intention to the government to process its own used tyres which amounts to about 300 t / y .
Back to Kal Tire ’ s plant –– Zuniga says it continues to run at capacity , processing 20 to 25 t per day of end of life mining tyres .
As stated by IM before following a visit in April 2023 , there is space at the site to double and even treble the size of the plant by adding more reactors , and Kal Tire also has the permitting in place to do this .
What about the involvement of Japan ’ s Mitsui & Co ., Ltd .? In 2022 it formed a JV with Kal Tire which would own and manage both the existing plant in La Negra , near Antofagasta but also the development , ownership of any future plants in Chile or globally ? “ Our partner Mitsui brings a lot to the table . Global reach , and the commitment to create sustainable futures , positions us well to bring the value of the thermal conversion solution to other parts of the world .”
Despite this , mining tyre recycling development will inevitably follow the regulation as it is this regulatory environment that will drive any investment . The big news there is that mining tyre recycling as of 2024 has now also been mandated in Peru . The % requirement is already greater than Chile ’ s 25 % and the time lag until the legislation ups the requirement to 100 % is less . “ There is a lot of activity in Peru looking at a way forward – we at Kal Tire for example have had a number of delegations from large
Peruvian mine operators visit our recycling plant . We know that pyrolysis could also form part of the solution there , just as it has done in Chile ,” said Zuniga . Beyond Peru , a number of countries could be next on the list but nothing is set in stone yet .
One of the reasons pyrolysis has a much more sustainable long term future , argues Kal Tire , is the real potential it brings for producing very marketable final products beyond just shredded tyres or even micronised rubber . And this is an area where Kal Tire ’ s R & D is heavily focused . “ We have made huge strides in the uses and markets for our recovered carbon black and the pyrolytic oil due to the quality and marketability of what we are now able to produce .”
In particular , there is a lot of anticipation around the potential for for carbon black production if volumes at a consistent and sustained quality can be produced . The REP Law will ensure that Kal Tire ’ s plant will have enough tyre supply for decades to come and so this security of supply also applies to the marketable end products in relation to companies wanting to make long term industrial decisions based on their use .
This consistency of end products and their potential success Kal Tire says is underpinned by its now deep underlying knowledge of the chemistry behind the pyrolysis . Zuniga : “ We have rigorous quality control procedures and tracking , which means we can guarantee the chemistry and quality of the final products . For example , there are subtle differences in the rubber compounds used between manufacturers and even between different tyre sizes such as between 57 in and 63 in tyres as their load
Kal Tire has invested in a mobile display version of its autonomous tyre inspection station to demonstrate benefits to potential customers in Chile
28 International Mining | JULY 2024