The company Maprise will begin construction of a treatment complex on the La Tiesa estate, covering 108 hectares, in the last quarter of 2026 to recover precious metals from mining waste at Filón Sur. The project, declared of strategic interest by the Junta de Andalucía, will generate 50 direct jobs and 240 indirect jobs.
The Huelva Pyritic Belt remains a rich vein even after centuries of exploitation. The company Maprise has announced a project to recover gold, silver, and other metals from the waste accumulated in the old mines of Tharsis, with an investment of 60 million euros. The plant, which will be built on the La Tiesa estate, will process seven million tonnes of material from the leaching piles of Filón Sur, along with an additional three million tonnes of pyrite ash from surrounding areas.
From export to China to local refining
More than a decade ago, Maprise proposed exporting this waste to China for processing, an option that was approved by the Junta de Andalucía. However, the new project takes a radical turn and opts to carry out the entire refining process on-site, which multiplies the economic impact in the Andévalo region. According to the company, the plant will have a processing capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year and will use techniques such as oxidation, chlorination, hot water leaching, or electrorefining.
The primary objective is to obtain a semi-pure alloy of gold and silver, an intermediate product that "provides a clear and profitable productive outlet, without the need for new industrial treatments or additional impacts," according to Maprise.
In addition to precious metals, the waste contains copper, cobalt, zinc, and lead. The first two are included in the list of essential raw materials of the European Union due to their key role in electrification and digitalization. This makes the project an example of a circular economy that utilises resources already extracted from the subsurface.
A processing that is nearing its final stages
The industrial complex, which will occupy 108 hectares, will integrate a raw material treatment plant, a water treatment station, auxiliary infrastructures, a mining waste deposit of 38 hectares, and several ponds for water management, including one for water from the cyanidation process. All facilities will be subject to a restoration plan with a monitoring period of 30 years.
Maprise is in the final phases of administrative processing. After completing the basic engineering and feasibility study in 2025, the company began preparing the bidding processes for detailed engineering and construction two months ago, in collaboration with Minepro. The forecast is to start construction in the last quarter of 2026, before the Integrated Environmental Authorization (AAI) granted eight years ago expires.
The Junta de Andalucía has declared the project of strategic interest for the autonomous community and has included it in its Project Acceleration Unit, which will expedite administrative timelines. For the Andévalo region, this initiative represents a significant economic boost: the operation of the plants will generate around 50 direct jobs and up to 240 indirect jobs, according to company estimates.
The project not only recovers valuable metals but also gives a second life to mining waste that has been an environmental liability for decades. With a minimum operational horizon of ten years, the Tharsis plant is set to become a benchmark in circular mining in the province of Huelva.
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