Conference Proceedings - World Mining Congress 2026

873 This innovative solution will provide benefits and minimize acid mine drainage by filling the voids in the waste rock with dewatered tailings, thereby displacing oxygen and limiting oxidation. The Commingling project consists of tailings dewatering through a cyclone–screened process, crushed waste rock transport, waste rock-tailings material transport, and its disposal in current and future dumps. 2. OBJECTIVES The objectives for the Commingling project are outlined below: 2.1 Strategic Objectives ● Enable the optimal development of Antamina's Life Extensions ● Explore alternatives to optimize tailings storage ● Minimize environmental and social impact ● Comply with GISTM12 2.2 Technical Objectives ● Optimize the use of waste rock haul trucks and reduce the need for them by aligning unloading with the mechanized system, minimizing the number of trucks and the carbon footprint. ● Postpone and/or eliminate the need for a new tailings site. ● Determine the optimal waste rock/tailings mix based on the geotechnical and geochemical balance of the waste rock dumps. ● Confirm the optimal technology for dewatering Antamina's tailings with the necessary characteristics for mixing, transport, and disposal. These strategic and technical objectives aim to optimize operational efficiency while reducing socio-environmental impacts, ensuring Antamina's sustainability over the defined life extensions. 3. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND DATA COLLECTION The Commingling project, aligned with Antamina's project management guidelines, has developed the following engineering stages: 3.1 Conceptual Stage – Gate 1 During the conceptual study, several alternatives for project development were identified, including dewatering processes such as thickening, cyclone-screening, and filtration. Different crushing and conveying systems aligned with waste rock production were also identified. Furthermore, the mixing ratio range was defined based on laboratory tests and Antamina's operating parameters. Additionally, during this stage, the need for a pre-pilot plant was defined to demonstrate: • The feasibility of dewatering Antamina tailings using the following technologies: thickening, cyclone-screening, and filtration; • Small-scale stacking tests using the most representative tailings (M1 and M4) and waste rock (“A” intrusive and “C” marble) types from Antamina; • Segregation tests of the mixture at different mixing ratios 12 Global Industrial Standard on Tailings Management

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0Mzk2