Water is one of the most critical and constrained resources for the global mining industry. In regions such as northern Chile, where water scarcity is an ongoing challenge, responsible water management is not only an environmental priority but a prerequisite for long-term operational continuity.
At the Talabre Thickened Tailings Project (PRET) in Chile, TAKRAF Group is contributing to sustainable water management by supplying seven DELKOR High-Density Thickeners designed to maximize process water recovery while enabling safe and efficient tailings handling.
Water recovery at scale
Each of the seven DELKOR High-Density Thickeners supplied for Talabre is engineered to process up to 1,540 tonnes per hour of copper tailings. At maximum design capacity, the full system can treat nearly 258,720 tonnes of slurry per day.
Crucially, each unit achieves a maximum water recovery of 1,032.4 m³ per hour. Across all seven thickeners, this translates to approximately 173,443 m³ of reclaimed water per day — a substantial volume that can be directly returned to the mining process instead of being lost to tailings storage.
The underflow solids discharge is targeted at around 69% solids, demonstrating the high-performance dewatering challenge involved. Meeting these requirements has driven the implementation of some of the largest torque drives ever supplied for this type of application, ensuring efficient separation and optimized water recovery even under demanding process conditions.
What this means in practice
Traditionally, tailings and the associated process water are transported to tailings dams, where water recovery is limited and evaporation losses can be significant. At Talabre, advanced thickening technology enables a large proportion of the process water to be reclaimed before disposal, significantly reducing freshwater intake.
This approach offers multiple benefits:
- Reduced demand for freshwater in water-stressed regions
- Lower environmental footprint of tailings management
- Improved process efficiency and resource utilization
- Increased resilience and long-term operational sustainability
By returning water directly into the processing circuit, the project supports both environmental responsibility and operational continuity.
Across our operations and solutions portfolio, our approach to water and marine resources focuses on four key areas:
Responsible Operations
Many of our offices and operational sites are located in regions facing water-related challenges. We actively monitor and manage water consumption and wastewater handling to minimize environmental impact. In 2024, TAKRAF Group recorded a total drinking water withdrawal of approximately 3,526 cubic meters, underlining our commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.
Product Impact
DELKOR’s dewatering technologies, including thickeners, horizontal belt filters and filter presses, are designed to:
- Reduce freshwater consumption
- Increase recycling rates
- Minimize waste and environmental risks
Water recovery rates for DELKOR Thickeners can range from 60% to 93%, depending on the application. When combined with Dry Stack Tailings (DST) solutions, these technologies significantly reduce groundwater contamination risks and improve overall water efficiency.
Service Impact
Our specialists support clients throughout the entire lifecycle of a project — from design and equipment selection to installation, commissioning and aftersales services. Through performance monitoring and optimization, we help clients continuously improve water use and reduce wastewater generation.
Research & Development
Innovation is essential to meeting increasing stakeholder expectations. Current R&D initiatives include the development of semi-mobile dewatering plants for Dry Stack Tailings and advanced pilot systems for flotation technologies, all aimed at further reducing water footprints in mining operations.
Engineering solutions for a water-conscious future
Projects such as Talabre demonstrate how advanced thickening technology can play a decisive role in improving water recovery efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of tailings management.
At TAKRAF Group, water stewardship is not a standalone initiative, it is embedded in how we design, engineer and deliver solutions across the mining value chain. By combining technological innovation with environmental responsibility, we help our clients meet today’s operational demands while preparing for tomorrow’s resource challenges.
To learn more about our approach to water and marine resources and our broader ESG strategy, explore the full Sustainability Report 2024 on our website.
