695 • Digital Integration: Machine learning applied to large geometallurgical datasets that optimize material blending for process stability. Simultaneously, drones equipped with LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors allow for efficient, frequent monitoring of the physical and chemical performance of the new infrastructure. 5. CONCLUSIONS The reprocessing of legacy tailings represents a unique opportunity to fundamentally shift the paradigm of environmental liability management in Peruvian mining, transforming a sunk cost into a driver for a sustainable circular economy. However, viewing these projects merely as resource recovery operations is insufficient. Success hinges on their execution as holistic engineering endeavors, encompassing the meticulous de-risking of a historical liability, the efficient operation of a complex processing plant, and the design of a stable, permanent landform. This study concludes that the value of reprocessing extends beyond economics to the fundamental preservation of the mining industry's global reputation. Many legacy deposits were designed, constructed, and operated under historical standards that are now considered deficient and unsafe. By physically removing these facilities and redepositing the material in modern, engineered structures, the industry effectively eliminates a latent risk of catastrophic failure. This proactive elimination of hazard is imperative, as the reputational fallout from a tailings failure is devastating to the entire sector. Thus, reprocessing serves as the ultimate mechanism to safeguard the social license to operate. As demonstrated through the proposed viability framework, profitability and safety are not guaranteed outcomes but the result of systematic uncertainty reduction. This requires the integration of three critical engineering pillars: rigorous resource definition to account for spatial variability, advanced geotechnical assessment to ensure stability during the extraction process, and robust metallurgical piloting to validate recovery from oxidized feedstocks. The application of a stage-gate execution model, specifically the Integrated De-Risking Matrix, is essential to prevent the creation of secondary liabilities and ensure bankability. Ultimately, while the technical challenges are significant, the primary barrier to widespread adoption remains strategic. Unlocking the value of Peru’s mining legacy requires a modernized regulatory framework that actively incentivizes remediation through reprocessing. By fostering collaboration among government, industry, and academia to mitigate these projects’ risk, Peru can transform the environmental burden of its past into a sustainable engine for its future. REFERENCES Compañía de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (2022). Memoria Anual 2021. Lima, Peru. Compañía de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (2023). Memoria Anual Integrada 2022. Lima, Peru. Gálvez, A. et al. (2021). Opportunities for rehabilitation and metal recovery from historic tailings in Peru. Journal of Sustainable Mining, 20(2), 85-95. ICMM (International Council on Mining and Metals). (2021). Global Tailings Review. London, UK MINEM (Ministry of Energy and Mines). (2022). Inventario de Pasivos Ambientales Mineros. Lima, Peru Minsur S.A. (2021). Reporte de Sostenibilidad 2021. Lima, Peru. United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP (November 2017). The Emissions Gap Report 2017. Nairobi.
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