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...

PNG issues seafloor mining environment permit to Nautilus

Papua New Guinea has issued an environmental permit allowing for the world's first commercial seafloor mining project to begin. The PNG government has granted a 25-year environmental permit to Nautilus Minerals to mine gold and copper at its Solwara One site, 1.7 km below the Bismark Sea.

Nautilus CEO Steve Rogers told media the company hopes to begin mining in 2012.