Amid mounting pressure on global supply chains, TOMRA’s advanced sensor-based sorting technology is helping mining companies recover valuable resources once considered waste – extending mine life, boosting efficiency, and driving more sustainable critical mineral production.
Around the world, mines hold a largely untapped aggregate opportunity. Operations generate vast volumes of waste rock, which are hauled long distances, stockpiled or dumped, and then monitored for decades. All this comes at a cost – financial, environmental and operational.
At the same time, mines import aggregate for haul roads, plant foundations, tailings dams and closure works. In remote regions, transporting suitable construction material can be prohibitively expensive, making these infrastructure projects a significant operational and financial challenge.
The paradox is that much of the waste rock already has the strength and durability required for construction use. Its limited use has historically been due to sulphides and acid-forming material. Once these are removed, the waste rock becomes a clean, stable material that can be confidently managed, reused, or even turned into a new revenue stream.