Canadian mining company Teck is advancing its environmental efforts by recycling industrial waste to enhance paved surfaces and reduce waste. A pilot project at Teck's Trail Operations and Neptune Terminals in British Columbia is exploring the use of recycled rubber from haul truck tires in asphalt. This initiative aims to divert thousands of tonnes of waste tires from landfills and improve road quality.

In this project, used haul truck tires are sent to a third-party for rubber separation. The recycled rubber is mixed into asphalt and used in paving. At Trail Operations, one lane of a two-lane road has been paved with rubberized asphalt, while the other lane uses standard asphalt. This setup will allow for performance comparisons over time. At Neptune Terminals, rubberized asphalt has already shown better performance in core samples taken a year after installation.

Rubberized asphalt lasts up to five years longer than regular asphalt, reduces maintenance, and is effective in mitigating pavement fatigue. It also performs better with studded tires, de-icing, and snow plowing, and offers benefits such as reduced road noise and improved aesthetics.

By repurposing approximately 10,000 tonnes of waste rubber from mining haul truck tires annually, Teck aims to lower waste disposal costs and enhance road durability.

To find out more, proceed to Teck's website.