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 moots export tax on coal to follow July hike on iron-ore

Vietnam's Finance Ministry is considering raising the export tax on coal from 15% to 20% to protect dwindling reserves, news website VnExpress reported. It cited a ministry source as saying a higher tax rate will help restrict exports as coal reserves are thinning and the country, a major coal exporter, imported coal from Indonesia for the first time last week.

State-owned Vinacomin plans to import about 10 Mt of coal in 2012, and this is expected to gradually increase to 100 Mt by 2020, the report said.

The ministry recently issued a circular raising the export duty on iron ore to 40% from 30% now to ensure raw material supplies for the domestic steel industry. The new tax rate will come into effect on 2 July.