Compañía Minera Lomas Bayas in Chile recovered and valorized 289.36 tonnes of end-of-life tires during 2025, reaching 202% of the 143-tonne target established for the period under the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility framework. The result was certified by Michelin and marks the second consecutive year in which Lomas Bayas has received recognition for its management of Category B waste tires. The mining company uses a coordinated logistics model that tracks tires from their arrival at the site through removal and recycling, with the same trucks that deliver new tires collecting end-of-life units and transporting them to Michelin’s recycling plant in Antofagasta. In 2026, Lomas Bayas expanded the model further and expects to remove around 350 additional waste tires from the mine for recycling, reinforcing the role of traceability, coordinated logistics and producer responsibility in the circular management of mining tires.

Lomas Bayas reaches 202% of annual tire recovery target

The 289.36 tonnes of end-of-life tires valorized during 2025 were more than double the 143 tonnes established as the target for the period. Michelin certified the result through its Category B end-of-life tire reception and valorization certificate.

The recognition confirms that Lomas Bayas exceeded the applicable requirement under Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law and continued to improve its management of discarded mining tires.

Michelin recognizes mine for second consecutive year

Lomas Bayas received Michelin recognition for its waste tire management for the second year in a row. Michelin Chile Mining Commercial Manager Cristian Garrote said the result demonstrates that the operation not only complies with regulation but significantly exceeds the required level.

Michelin links the initiative with its broader long-term objective of manufacturing tires entirely from renewable or recycled materials by 2050.

Tire traceability begins when tires enter the mine

The Lomas Bayas system provides traceability from the moment tires arrive at the mining operation until they are removed for recycling. The process involves coordination between planning, logistics and operations teams together with the tire maintenance service and Michelin.

This approach allows the company to document how tires move through their useful life and into the end-of-life management system, an important element of compliance under Extended Producer Responsibility schemes.

Reverse logistics reduces additional transport

An important feature of the program is the use of reverse logistics. Trucks delivering new tires to the mining operation also collect end-of-life tires on their return journeys and transport them to Michelin’s recycling plant in Antofagasta.

Using existing transport movements helps optimize available logistics capacity and avoids the need for separate collection journeys solely for waste tire removal.

Mining tires sent to Michelin recycling plant in Antofagasta

The end-of-life tires collected from Lomas Bayas are transported to Michelin’s tire recycling facility in Antofagasta for processing and valorization. This provides the mining company with a defined downstream route for material that would otherwise require storage or other waste management solutions.

Large mining tires are particularly challenging to manage because of their size, weight and construction, making access to specialized recycling infrastructure important for developing more circular mining operations.

Company highlights coordinated recycling management

Erick Franco, Senior Engineer for Tires and Pollution Management at Lomas Bayas, said doubling the REP target reflects the work carried out across the company and within the team responsible for recycling mining tires.

The result illustrates how operational planning and waste management can be integrated rather than treating end-of-life tires as a separate activity after they leave service.

Another 350 waste tires targeted for recycling in 2026

During 2026, Lomas Bayas expanded the same coordination model and expects it to enable the removal of approximately 350 additional end-of-life tires from the mining site for recycling over the coming months.

The continued expansion suggests that the company is moving beyond minimum regulatory compliance toward a more systematic circular economy model for tire management.

Chile’s REP framework supports mining tire circularity

The initiative operates within Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility system, which creates obligations for priority products including tires and encourages collection, traceability and valorization rather than uncontrolled disposal.

For the mining sector, where large volumes of heavy-duty tires can accumulate, coordinated systems involving tire manufacturers, mining operators and recyclers can help establish reliable routes for end-of-life tire recovery.

Lomas Bayas links mining operations with circular economy goals

The project demonstrates how tire management can become part of a wider circular economy strategy within large-scale mining. By combining traceability, reverse logistics and dedicated recycling capacity, Lomas Bayas is reducing the amount of end-of-life tire material requiring storage while improving recovery of secondary resources.

The 2025 result and planned 2026 collections show how mining companies can exceed regulatory targets when tire supply, maintenance, transport and recycling are managed as an integrated system rather than as separate activities.

Original report by Portal Minero.