Sustainability of Filtered Tailings options *Sergio Calil1, Jason Palmer2 1Senior Manager Tailings Filtration, Metso, Australia, (*Presenting author: Sergio.calil@metso.com) 2Senior Manager Filtration, Metso, Australia Abstract As the mining industry navigates increasing demands for safer and more sustainable tailings management solutions, frameworks such as the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) are elevating expectations for performance, governance, and transparency. Filtered tailings have emerged as a critical enabler of these requirements, not only reducing environmental and geotechnical risks but also supporting water recovery, resource efficiency, and long-term site sustainability. From the perspective of a filtration technology supplier, filtered tailings represent more than a disposal method — they form part of a broader innovation pathway toward circularity and value recovery. Advances in filtration processes enable greater water reuse, potential secondary mineral extraction, and the generation of more stable tailings products that can be integrated into post-mining land uses. These innovations create opportunities to transform mine closure from a liability into a platform for reclamation and revitalization, including productive post-mining landscapes and enhanced community outcomes. Drawing on Metso’s global experience with high-throughput filtration systems, this paper examines key barriers to adoption — including capital intensity, scalability in large operations, bulk material handling, climatic and geotechnical variability, undervaluation of water, regulatory uncertainty, and supply chain limitations. Practical strategies are discussed to overcome these challenges, focusing on process innovation, modularization, automation, and design approaches that integrate closure and post-mining land use objectives from the outset. By aligning technological advances with circular economy principles and ESG expectations, filtered tailings can evolve into a cornerstone of sustainable mining practice — enabling resource recovery, minimizing environmental footprints, and fostering resilient landscapes long after mining has ceased. Keywords: filtered tailings, process innovation, circularity, recovery, GISTM, , emerging technology, design with closure in mind, ESG, nature-positive solutions
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