39 • Conducting discrete event simulation of mine operation to highlight potential bottlenecks in material or fleet movement; • Including penalties for surface infrastructure or tailings storage to focus on low-footprint flowsheets; • Refining the simulation framework to allow the backfill content in discrete stopes to be tracked such that a more accurate estimation of the rate of copper extraction through IMR can be obtained; • Incorporating sustainability-based indicators, such as energy intensity, water use, emissions, tailings generation and surface infrastructure footprint, alongside NPV; • Expanding the granularity of extraction and processing assumptions, including the effects of particle size distribution, temperature, permeability and lixiviant concentration on recovery performance. In conclusion, the findings support the use of integrated techno-economic modelling as a practical basis for assessing IPM opportunities. By quantifying how In-Line Recovery and InMine Recovery affect material movement, recovery pathways and project value, the framework provides an evidence-based approach to guide future technology development, project screening and lower-footprint mine design. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors thank previous Mining3 researchers, in particular Amin Mousavi for early development of the simulation framework REFERENCES Batterham, R.J. and Robinson, D.J., (2019). Will in-place recovery ever replace the need for flotation? Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 36(1), 189–197 Seredkin, M., Zabolotsky, A. and Jeffress, G., (2016). In situ recovery, an alternative to conventional methods of mining: Exploration, resource estimation, environmental issues, project evaluation and economics. Ore Geology Reviews, 79, 500–514 Sellers, E., Sarmadivaleh, M., Chapman, N., Meakin, R., Fathi Salmi, E., Karami, E., Nikoloski, A. and Kuhar, L., (2023). Broadening the opportunity for in-situ recovery of value from mineral deposits. MRIWA Report 519, Project number 24437435 Sweet, J., Hurtubia, B., Marin, L. and del Pozo, F. (in review). State of the art for in-place mining. Proceedings of the XXX International Mineral Processing Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, 18–22 October 2026.
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