老司机直播

Academic-industry partnership develops better way to manage sulfur compounds at mining sites

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老司机直播 researchers Tara Colenbrander Nelson and Kelly Whaley Martin collect water samples at Hudbay鈥檚 777 mine in Flin Flon, Man for use in their innovative 鈥渞eactive sulfur鈥 monitoring technique (photo by Lesley Warren)

A mine straddling the border of Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba will be the first in the world to deploy an innovative new technique for monitoring and managing sulfur compounds, including thiosalts.

The strategy 鈥 co-developed by an international research team that includes researchers from the University of Toronto, Australia鈥檚 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and Canadian miner Hudbay Minerals, Inc. 鈥 helps improve understanding of possible effects on the environment and has potentially far-reaching applications for global mines processing sulfide containing ores.

鈥淣ot only does this new method improve our data collection and help us better understand and manage our environmental liabilities, it also simplifies Hudbay鈥檚 logistics and reduces analytical costs, given that this mine is located far away from commercial laboratories,鈥 says Landice Yestrau, EP superintendent, environmental compliance at Hudbay Minerals.

The global-first strategy, which recently received regulatory approval, was led by Lesley Warren, a professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering in 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and included Simon Apte of Australia鈥檚 CSIRO and Hudbay Minerals.

Details about the process are laid out in a paper 

鈥淭hanks to this world-first research, we are now able to measure the total possible sulfur risk with this new method. It鈥檚 clear that the previous industry standard 鈥榯hiosalts鈥 methods under-report these risks in our effluent and receiving waters,鈥 says Shirley Neault, manager, environment and systems at Hudbay Minerals. 鈥淭his is a major win for everyone.鈥

The technique is faster, cheaper and more accurate than the current industry standard methods. This innovative in-situ environmental management method is critical due to the mine site鈥檚 remote location.

Mitigating thiosalt impacts, which can cause toxicity, acidity and contamination in receiving environments if not properly managed, is a concern for mines around the world because the majority of metals come from sulfide minerals.

The Saskatchewan government鈥檚 recent approval further signals the critical need to capture and measure risks associated with the long-standing issue of sulfur compounds and bolsters the industry鈥檚 future water stewardship strategies.

鈥淣ow that mines can effectively track possible sulfur risks, the ability to proactively manage impacted waters is improved and environmental stewardship goals become actionable steps,鈥 says Warren.

Hudbay鈥檚 777 mine produces both zinc and copper, and is located near the town of Flin Flon, Man., which sits on the border between Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The new 鈥渞eactive sulfur鈥 method is one of many coming out of Mine Wastewater Solutions: Next Generation Biological Treatment through Functional Genomics.

This large-scale research project, led by Warren, is funded by Genome Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and industry partners including Hudbay, Glencore Canada鈥檚 Sudbury INO (Integrated Nickel Organization), Rambler Metals and Mining, EcoReg Solutions Incorporated (ERSI) and Ecometrix 鈥 along with sector agencies Mining Association of Canada (MAC), Ontario Mining Association (OMA) and Mine Environment Neutral Drainage Program (MEND).

The multidisciplinary project applies functional metagenomics, geochemistry, biochemistry and modelling to mining wastewaters to develop innovative biological monitoring, management and treatment tools.

The collaboration illustrates the power of academia and the private sector, supported by governments, to develop research-powered solutions to address complex, multidisciplinary problems that transcend borders.

鈥淧artnering with a global, multi-institutional team has allowed us to collaborate on research priorities and generate a wealth of new knowledge accelerating real outcomes at site,鈥 says Neault. 鈥淭hese researchers offer tremendous expertise and together we are driving a range of biological treatments and innovations at our mines.鈥

The Mining Wastewater Solutions Project (MWS Project) is jointly funded by Genome Canada (LSARP program), Ontario Genomics, Genome Quebec, Ontario Government (MRI, ORF-RE program) and industry mining company partners (Glencore Sudbury INO, Hudbay Minerals and Rambler Metals and Mining). The international research team includes 老司机直播鈥檚 Warren, CSIRO鈥檚 Apte, Jill Banfield of the Univeristy of Callifornia, Berkeley, and Christian Baron of Universit茅 de Montr茅al. Industry partners also include Ecoreg Solutions and Ecometrix consulting companies, and MAC, OMA and MEND sector agencies.

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