68 implementation requires rigorous engineering assessment, continuous risk evaluation, and governance structures capable of managing uncertainty throughout the lifecycle of tailings facilities. These considerations highlight the need for integrated, risk‑informed management approaches. 3. TECHNICAL AND GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES OF CIRCULAR TAILINGS STRATEGY Although circular economy strategies offer potential environmental and institutional benefits, their application to tailings management is not inherently risk‑neutral. On the contrary, interventions such as reprocessing, material reuse, or changes in disposal technology may introduce new operational, geotechnical, environmental, and governance risks that must be carefully identified and managed. From a technical perspective, re-mining and reprocessing of tailings can significantly alter the original stress regimes and hydraulic conditions of tailings storage facilities. The removal or rehandling of deposited material may affect beach geometry, foundation loading, and drainage paths, potentially increasing susceptibility to instability or liquefaction if not adequately controlled (Vick, 1990; Morgenstern et al., 2016). In legacy facilities, these risks are often exacerbated by limited historical documentation and incomplete characterization of deposited materials (Lottermoser, 2010; Kinnunen et al., 2022). Similarly, the reuse of tailings as construction materials or underground backfill introduces uncertainties related to material performance, durability, and long‑term behavior. Variability in grain size distribution, mineralogy, chemical composition, and moisture content may affect mechanical strength, permeability, and chemical stability, raising concerns regarding structural reliability and environmental compatibility (Chinchin, 2008; Villachica et al., 2021). Regulatory acceptance of such applications also varies across jurisdictions, creating additional constraints and compliance risks. The adoption of alternative disposal technologies, such as thickened, paste, or filtered tailings, is frequently cited as a circular and risk‑reduction measure. However, transitions between disposal methods may introduce new failure modes, different operational dependencies, and revised monitoring requirements. For example, filtered tailings systems may reduce long‑term water retention but increase sensitivity to operational upsets, material handling issues, or inadequate compaction practices (Morgenstern et al., 2016; Franks et al., 2021). Beyond technical considerations, circular tailings strategies pose significant governance challenges. Effective implementation requires clear definition of roles, responsibilities, and decision authority across engineering, operations, sustainability, and corporate governance functions. In practice, many mining organizations struggle with fragmented accountability and siloed decision‑making, particularly when circular initiatives are driven by sustainability objectives without full integration into technical risk management frameworks (ICMM, 2020;
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