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INNOVATING AT CLC: TOWARDS 21ST CENTURY MINING
CLC innovates across all its processes with the ambition of becoming a benchmark for the revival of modern, sustainable mining in Spain. To achieve this, the company makes continuous investment in best-in-class technologies and applies the most advanced techniques across every area of the business. Its commitment to innovation is both the foundation of the project and the guiding principle of its economic, social and environmental management.
Our areas of innovation:
- Innovation in effective project management
- Innovation in by-design environmental restoration
- Innovation in industrial process
- Innovation in waste management
- Innovation in water management
- Innovation in continuous improvement
- Innovation in health, safety and prevention
Innovation in metal production
CLC’s metallurgical process is unique thanks to its hydrometallurgical model. Compared to the traditional pyrometallurgical alternative — that is, smelting — this approach eliminates the need to transport ore to external smelters and removes CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. The future PMR polymetallurgical plant will be the only facility of its kind in the world, capable of processing and producing four metals within a single installation.
Innovation in waste management
The sediment produced from ore processing is stored in an encapsulated manner, safely isolated from the surrounding environment. There is no tailings dam at Las Cruces. In the future PMR project, mineral processing waste will be encapsulated and filtered within the former open-pit mine.
Innovation in environmental rehabilitation
At CLC, the rehabilitation of land affected by mining activity is carried out progressively from the very start of operations. Through the progressive restoration of waste rock dumps, soil recovery and ecosystem regeneration are achieved via reforestation programmes.