en.Wedoany.com Reported - Manuel Rodríguez Mariátegui, General Manager of Cerro de Pasco Resources and President of the 2026 International Water and Tailings Congress (Congreso Internacional Aguas y Relaves 2026), stated that the Quiulacocha project is one of the most representative examples of tailings repurposing in Peru. The project aims to recover silver, zinc, copper, lead, gold, and critical minerals such as gallium and indium from historical tailings, which are in high demand due to the technology industry and the energy transition.
Rodríguez noted that the Quiulacocha tailings deposit, a historical accumulation from over a century of mining activity in Cerro de Pasco, still contains significant quantities of valuable minerals. Tailings repurposing helps advance a circular economy model by creating value from previously discarded materials while reducing the environmental burden of historical deposits. The minerals recovered by the project are closely linked to the energy transition and technological development, and the growing global demand for critical minerals has increased interest in alternative supply sources. Technological advancements have enabled the recovery of minerals that were previously not efficiently or economically processable, improving resource utilization.
Rodríguez emphasized that community relations are a core success factor for projects related to tailings and environmental liabilities. Another key lesson from this initiative is the need to build alliances among different stakeholders and establish shared goals. Collaboration between Cerro de Pasco Resources, the Quiulacocha farming community, Activos Mineros, and Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines has advanced a program that combines economic value recovery, environmental remediation, and local development. Such initiatives require ongoing dialogue, institutional coordination, and common objectives to build trust and ensure long-term sustainable benefits.
The Quiulacocha project has also attracted interest from financial markets due to its combination of sustainability, critical mineral recovery, and environmental remediation. Rodríguez stated that the planned investment scale demonstrates that historical tailings can be transformed into opportunities for responsible development when supported by technology, a long-term vision, and appropriate execution conditions. He believes the Quiulacocha project shows that tailings repurposing is a model that can be replicated in other mining areas in Peru, helping to recover strategic minerals and reduce accumulated environmental liabilities.
These topics will be discussed at the 2026 International Water and Tailings Congress (Congreso Internacional Aguas y Relaves 2026), organized by InterMet, to be held on June 11-12 at the José Antonio Deluxe Hotel in Lima, where national and international experts will analyze challenges related to water management, tailings management, sustainability, and the repurposing of environmental liabilities in mining.
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