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...

Philippines Chamber urges reform of conflicting local mining regulations in Mindanao

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines is pushing for reforms in 2012 to straighten provincial open-pit mining bans and other issues in Mindanao that jeopardize existing and proposed mines. The chamber is urging President Aquino's Minerals Policy Group to pay closer attention to conflicting local ordinances in South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte that have left investors and owners uncertain about billion-dollar investments in the region.