Tyrecycle targets mining sector with launch of Port Hedland OTR tyre recycling plant
Australia’s mining sector now has access to the nation’s first large-scale facility dedicated to recycling off-the-road (OTR) mining tyres, following Tyrecycle’s opening of its Port Hedland site in Western Australia.
The facility is a major development for sustainable mining operations, offering a solution to a longstanding waste challenge. Located in the heart of the Pilbara – a region responsible for a significant portion of Australia’s mining activity – the plant is designed to process up to 30,000 tonnes of OTR tyres annually, with the potential to double capacity.
While Australia leads globally in passenger and commercial tyre recycling – repurposing around 98% of used tyres – the mining industry has lagged far behind. Thick, heavy OTR tyres used on mining equipment have historically been difficult to process using traditional recycling systems.
According to Tyrecycle CEO Jim Fairweather, the current recycling rate for mining tyres in Australia is only about one per cent. The Port Hedland plant seeks to change that by offering a fit-for-purpose recycling pathway that enables mining companies to improve their environmental impact significantly.
“We’re already seeing strong demand from operators across the Pilbara, who collectively generate around 50,000 tonnes of OTR tyre waste per year,” Fairweather said.
At the heart of the new plant is the T-Rex OTR tyre cutter – the first of its kind installed in Australia – capable of processing tyres weighing up to seven tonnes. The equipment was selected specifically to handle the extreme size and density of mining tyres.
The facility is also future-proofed, with space to install a second processing line should feedstock volumes grow. This would allow the site to manage the entire OTR waste volume from the Pilbara region alone.
In addition to tyre recycling, Tyrecycle is turning its attention to the large volumes of used rubber conveyor belts stockpiled across mining sites. The company is currently exploring solutions to repurpose this material, with plans to launch a recovery program within the next 6 to 12 months.
With operations in every Australian capital city, Tyrecycle already recycles around 180,000 tonnes of tyres annually – equivalent to removing 40,000 cars' worth of emissions from the road each year. Its products include crumb rubber used in roads and playgrounds, as well as feedstock for tyre-derived fuel and rubber used in manufacturing.
The company’s long-term vision is to replicate the Port Hedland model across all major mining regions, including the Bowen Basin (QLD), Hunter Valley (NSW), and WA’s southern Goldfields.
Tyrecycle’s investment in OTR tyre recycling signals a pivotal moment for sustainability in the mining sector. By developing infrastructure specifically for oversized mining waste, the company addresses a key circular economy gap. As regulatory and ESG pressures mount, solutions like this are critical for helping mining operators decarbonise and demonstrate responsible resource use. The move also aligns with a broader trend of sector-specific waste recovery in the tyre industry – particularly in off-highway and industrial segments.
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