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's coal exports decrease as local shortage projected for 2012

According to Vietnam's general statistics office, Vietnamese coal exports totaled 6.64 million tonnes in the first five months of 2011, down 25% year on year. In the first four months, over 70% of the coal exports went to China, 13% to South Korea and 11% to Japan.

However state-owned Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) reportedly projects that its coal output will decrease in coming years and the country will have to import coal by 2012. The company plans to step up exploration for coal and increase investment in equipment.