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...

China gold official tips 10% domestic production increase in 2011

China's gold production may grow by more than 10% in 2011, Cui Jianguo, vice president of the China Gold Association, told Beijing media, adding that world gold prices would be pushed higher.

"Prices (for gold) in the second half will definitely rise because the factors behind the recent price increases have not changed; there is the European debt crisis, there is Libya and all kinds of economic uncertainties," he said, as reported by Reuters.