MANAGEMENT

Using algae to combat AMD at Wheal Jane

A ground breaking research project involving Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) in the UK and universities in the GW4 alliance is aiming to clean up water from a Cornish tin mine, using algae to harvest the precious heavy metals and produce biofuel at the same time

Carly Leonida
Algae will be used to harvest heavy metals and produce biofuel  Image: Wikimedia Commons

Algae will be used to harvest heavy metals and produce biofuel Image: Wikimedia Commons

GW4 is the southwest research alliance that brings together four leading, research-intensive universities from Wales and Britain’s southwest: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

PML, in collaboration with researchers from all four universities, is now working with the Coal Authority and Veolia to take untreated mine water samples from Wheal Jane tin mine in Cornwall into the laboratory and grow algae in them. The research will explore whether algae is effective in removing materials such as arsenic and cadmium from the mine water.
Researchers will then look to convert the algae into a solid from which precious heavy metals will be extracted and recycled for use in the electronics industry. The remaining solid waste will then be used to make biofuels.

The Wheal Jane tin mine, near Truro in Cornwall, closed in 1992. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has since that time funded the active mine water treatment scheme to protect the River Fal from pollution. This scheme is managed by the Coal Authority and operated by Veolia.

Dr Chris Chuck, Whorrod Research Fellow from the University of Bath’s Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies, said: “It’s a win-win solution to a significant environmental problem. We’re putting contaminated water in and taking out valuable metals, clean water and producing fuel. This technology could be applied to any type of mine or could even be used to clean up industrial effluent in the future.”

Acid mine drainage is a global problem, particularly in the developing world where costly clean-up and remediation activities are sometimes ignored because of their high cost and low return. Growing algae in the mine water provides a revenue stream to offset the cost of remediation and could significantly reduce treatment costs.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations using autonomous solutions in every region and sector, including analysis of the factors driving investment decisions