Rio2 Commences Commissioning of Tailings Filtration Facility at Condestable Copper Mine, Peru
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Rio2 Limited has initiated the commissioning phase for the new Tailings Filtration Facility (TFF) at its newly acquired Condestable Copper Mine in Peru.
“We are very happy about this important step at Condestable. The operating team’s commitment to the highest environmental and safety standards has been impressive and the beginning of the commissioning phase of the filter plant is strong evidence of this effort. It is also an important step for the next stage of growth at the mine, which we at Rio2 will be excited to unveil before the end of this year,” said Andrew Cox, president and CEO of Rio2.
The transition to dry-stack tailings provided by the new TFF represents a major operational milestone, following an 18-month construction period and a total capital investment of approximately $27 million.
The facility features an installed design capacity of 8,400 tonnes per day (tpd), capable of processing 100 percent of Condestable’s current tailings output and has been engineered to accommodate potential future production expansions. Commissioning is expected to conclude within ten weeks, with full commercial operations slated for the third quarter, 2026.
Filtered dry tailings output from the TFF will initially be deposited within the existing, permitted, tailings impoundment facilities before transitioning to Tailings Storage Facility #6. The TFF is currently in the advanced stages of the permitting process, with environmental approval expected during the third quarter of 2026. Initial permitted capacity for Facility #6 is expected to be 43 million tonnes, with the design allowing for staged expansions of up to a total of 170 million tonnes to support future extensions to the life of the mine.
By shifting to a dry-stacking facility, Condestable establishes itself as a best-in-class operation regarding tailings management, materially enhancing safety and environmental standards.
This investment also aligns with Condestable’s ongoing commitment to its Copper Mark Certification. The filtration process will increase total water recovery at the mine from approximately 60 percent to close to 90 percent. This substantial improvement in water recovery provides the capacity for future growth projects without requiring additional water permits or increasing the use of local water resources.
Rio2 is a diversified precious metals and copper producer focused on building and operating mines with a management team that has proven technical skills as well as a successful capital markets track record. The company is currently producing gold at its Fenix Gold heap leach mine in Chile and copper/gold/silver at its recently acquired Condestable underground mine in Peru. Rio2 and its wholly owned subsidiaries are companies that operate with the highest environmental standards and responsibility with the firm conviction that it is possible to develop mining projects that respect the three pillars (social, environment, economics) of responsible development.
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