Advancing the future of tailings management in Chile

SLR was proud to sponsor and presenter at Tailings 2026 – 12th International Congress on Tailings Management in Santiago, Chile. The event brought together mining professionals, consultants, suppliers, and asset owners to discuss the evolving priorities shaping tailings management across Chile and Latin America. Our participation reflects SLR's commitment to supporting the mining industry with practical, sustainable, and globally informed solutions for tailings and mine waste management.

SLR's contribution to the conference extended beyond sponsorship. The event featured technical presentations from Nelson Amoah on filtered tailings and Jodie Kirkpatrick on dam safety, both topics that generated strong interest among delegates and reflected the breadth of expertise SLR brings to the global mining industry. The conference also provided an opportunity for collaboration across regions, with a strong SLR delegation including Pau Balart and Pamela Muñoz from Latin America, Eddie Cunningham from South Africa, Juan Escobar from Europe, and Nelson Amoah and Jodie Kirkpatrick from Australia.

The conference provided an important opportunity to exchange ideas, understand emerging industry trends, and engage with stakeholders about the future of responsible tailings management. While the discussions highlighted significant progress across the sector, they also reinforced several challenges that will require greater collaboration and alignment in the years ahead.

Key takeaways from Tailings 2026

One of the most notable observations from the conference was the strong focus on governance and technology. Through multiple presentations, mining companies demonstrated a clear commitment to aligning tailings facilities with international standards, industry guidance, and leading practices.

At the same time, discussions revealed a recurring challenge facing the industry: translating innovation, research, and technical developments into practical, scalable solutions applicable across medium and large-scale mining operations. While many presentations offered valuable academic insights and local case studies, fewer addressed how those concepts can be consistently implemented at the scale required by major mining companies operating in Chile and the wider region. As the industry continues to innovate, one of the next major challenges will be turning promising technologies and new ideas into commercially viable, operationally sustainable projects that can be successfully applied across the mining sector.

The composition of the audience was also telling. The strong technical presence reinforced the depth of expertise available within the industry, but also highlighted the importance of bringing together operators, regulators, consultants, and technology partners to drive broader alignment.

Across many presentations, a clear message emerged: mining companies remain strongly committed to aligning their tailings facilities with international standards and industry best practices. Governance continues to be a central focus, as operators seek to strengthen risk management frameworks and demonstrate responsible stewardship of critical infrastructure.

Another recurring theme was the progress the industry has made toward achieving conformance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). However, the sector now appears to be entering a new phase. Rather than focusing solely on achieving conformance, many organizations will increasingly be evaluating the effectiveness of the procedures, systems, and governance frameworks they have implemented. The next stage will require companies to demonstrate that these measures are delivering meaningful risk reduction and operational improvements while integrating sustainable and practical solutions that extend beyond compliance requirements.

The industry's next major challenge: alignment

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the conference was the opportunity for greater alignment across Chile's mining sector.

Many Tier 1 mining companies operating in Chile manage world-class tailings facilities and have adopted robust governance frameworks. However, there remains an opportunity to establish greater consistency in criteria, expectations, and approaches across the industry.

Equally important is the role of government. The level of public-sector participation observed at the conference suggests there is room for stronger collaboration between industry and regulators to define the future of tailings management. Developing a shared vision and common framework could help accelerate the adoption of best practices while supporting innovation, transparency, and long-term stewardship.

As industry expectations continue to evolve, success will depend not only on technical excellence, but also on collaboration among mining companies, consultants, regulators, and communities.

Climate change and long-term liabilities are becoming strategic priorities

Beyond traditional engineering considerations, climate change and long-term liability management are rapidly becoming some of the most strategic issues facing tailings operators throughout Chile and the region.

Changing climatic conditions, increasing scrutiny of environmental performance, and evolving regulatory expectations are forcing organizations to think beyond facility design and operational management. Tailings facilities are now being viewed through the broader lens of business risk, ESG performance, resilience, closure planning, and long-term stewardship.

As a result, mining companies are increasingly seeking solutions that integrate technical performance with sustainability objectives, helping ensure assets remain safe, compliant, and resilient throughout their entire lifecycle.

What can SLR bring to the market?

Addressing these challenges requires more than local expertise. It requires a global perspective informed by practical experience across multiple mining jurisdictions.

With specialists working across Canada, Australia, South Africa, Latin America, and other leading mining jurisdictions, SLR brings a genuinely international perspective to tailings management. Our teams have supported mining companies through a wide range of regulatory, technical, environmental, and operational challenges, allowing us to bring practical lessons learned from around the world to local projects.

By leveraging lessons learned from projects around the world, SLR can help clients:

• Benchmark their practices against leading international standards.
• Support implementing proven and scalable solutions.
• Navigate emerging technical, regulatory, and sustainability challenges.
• Connect governance objectives with practical operational implementation.
• Build greater resilience across the entire tailings lifecycle.

This combination of global insights and local delivery reflects SLR's commitment to helping clients move from ambition to action while continuing to deliver sustainable outcomes.