MINING TIRES: RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES
June 16, 2023 – North American Mining Magazine by: Jonathan Rowland
Mining tires represent a significant investment; they are also an opportunity to improve not only the efficiency of a mining operation, but also its sustainability. So how can a mine ensure it gets the most economic and environmental benefit from its tires?
Even under the best of circumstances, tires wear out. But mining is about the most challenging environment to which a tire can be exposed: the industry generates huge tonnages of used tires every year as a result.
In Australia alone, the industry was responsible for 68,000 tonnes of used tires in 2019, according to Tire Stewardship Australia, an organization formed to promote the development of viable markets for end-of-life tires. The vast majority of these were disposed of on-site.
However, on-site disposal creates ESG risks. “The biggest and most catastrophic threat is fire,” explained Dave Allan, vice president Canada at Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group. Although tire fires are uncommon, when they do occur “people notice, and they notice for a long time, as tire fires are very difficult to extinguish quickly.” Click here to read the full article from North American Mining Magazine, June, 2023.
