PARES&ALVAREZ EXPERT PRESENTS AT PLANNING FOR CLOSURE 2026 ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF MINE POST-CLOSURE DECISIONS 

Victoria Vásquez, Mine Closure Specialist at Pares&Alvarez, participated as a speaker at the Planning for Closure 2026 International Congress, one of the leading events focused on mine closure. During the conference, she presented a study examining how technical decisions made during closure design can significantly influence a mine site’s long-term financial commitments. 

The research, conducted jointly with Claudia Goza, Environmental Manager at Pares&Alvarez, analysed the sensitivity of the Post-Closure Fund to changes in the frequency of maintenance activities required for closure works during the post-closure stage. 

Using a large-scale mine site in northern Chile as a case study, the analysis assessed different post-closure maintenance scenarios and their impact on the present value of the financial obligations associated with mine closure. The results showed that shortening maintenance intervals could increase the resources required for the Post-Closure Fund by more than 110%. Conversely, strategies supported by more durable solutions and passive closure principles could reduce these obligations by more than 50%, while maintaining long-term safety and stability standards. 

“Decisions concerning the frequency of maintenance activities are often approached from a technical perspective. However, their financial impact can be critical to a project’s long-term sustainability. Our study seeks to provide evidence that supports the development of more robust and consistent criteria for post-closure planning,” said Victoria Vásquez. 

The study also highlights the need to develop agreed technical methodologies that can transparently justify the maintenance frequencies required during the post-closure stage. This would help reduce regulatory uncertainty and support more efficient management of the resources allocated to ensuring the physical and chemical stability of closed mine sites. 

Pares&Alvarez’s participation in Planning for Closure 2026 reaffirms the company’s commitment to developing solutions that integrate technical, environmental, economic and regulatory considerations, contributing to a more sustainable mining industry that is better prepared to address the long-term challenges of mine closure.