Climax Mine, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Recycles Biosolids for Land Reclamation

Since 1997, Climax operations has helped local communities recycle waste by converting the biosolids from their wastewater treatment plants into compost to reclaim and revegetate lands used in past mining activities. Biosolids are trucked in, piled, mixed with wood chips, aerated, turned, blended, tested and rested for about 18 months until the material is nutrient-rich and pathogen-free. The compost is not used only for reclamation at Climax, but also is provided to the state of Colorado to reclaim and restore abandoned mine sites.

Climax mine in Colorado has won both a national and state award for their biosolids recycling program.

For more information about Freeport-McMoRan’s reclamation projects, see http://www.fcx.com/sd/env/reclam.htm

Please see the 2014 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts.