Algae and mining: A new frontier in sustainable site rehabilitation

Algae might seem an unlikely candidate to help transform Australia’s post-mining landscapes, but a new CSIRO -led project suggests these tiny aquatic organisms could provide sustainable futures for mine sites, surrounding ecosystems, and local communities. Looking down the microscope at the microalgae Nannochloropsis Australia’s mining sector is approaching a crossroads—where economic legacy and environmental responsibility must find common ground. A new CSIRO -led study, supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME), suggests that one of the most promising bridges between these imperatives may come from an unexpected source: algae. Though small in stature, algae are emerging as giants in their potential to transform post-mining landscapes. The study, developed in partnership with the University of Queensland and Murdoch University , proposes that algae-based technologies could reduce mining’s environmental footprint while seeding new...

Vietnam earns $1.3 billion from 2009 coal exports

Vietnam's coal exports earned $1.33 billion last year, a drop of 4.5% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. The country shipped overseas 25.14 Mt of coal in 2009, up 30% over a year earlier.

According to Xinhua newsagency, China was the largest export market of Vietnam's coal in 2009, followed by the Republic of Korea, Japan and Thailand.