Grow native plants – with the help of pollinating insects like the monarch butterfly! – to green mountains of rocks. Mandate cyanide-eating bacteria to treat wastewater and return it, crystalline, to nature… Science popularizer Martin Carli, who co-hosts the show Awesome! at Télé-Québec for twelve years now, has witnessed these astonishing environmental rehabilitation initiatives undertaken by the Quebec mining sector.
Scientists have always turned to nature to innovate and find solutions to a host of problems. “Ultimately, it brings us back to the fact that if humans have a lot of imagination, it is limited to what they have already seen, launches Martin Carli. It is for this reason that we no longer count the innovations that have emerged as a result of observations in nature. Let’s not forget that the inventor of Velcro was inspired by the thistles clinging to his dog’s hair and that robotics is currently trying to reproduce the strange movements of bats in flight. Such examples abound in fields as diverse as technology, engineering, biology and chemistry. No wonder, then, that our mining companies, which employ an ever-growing number of scientists specializing in these disciplines, rely on the power of nature to restore the environment.
Martin Carli in the land of green gold At the Lamaque mine of Eldorado Gold Québec, in Val d’Or, they produce – you guessed it – gold. And this very important mineral, the most precious in the country, is not only used to line safes or jewelry boxes! “Gold is incredibly ductile and a remarkable conductor of electricity,” says Martin Carli. Because of these properties, it is an indispensable ally in the manufacture of electronic circuits, which explains why it is found in all smart devices on the planet. »
However, the production of the ore leads to the formation of piles of waste rock when it is in progress. For the sake of environmental rehabilitation, an ambitious revegetation project has been launched to integrate them into the landscape and contribute to the restoration of biodiversity. “The first challenge to be met is to ensure that the heaps formed by mining extraction – the dumps – do not pose environmental risks before proceeding, specifies the scientist. For example, if the presence of sulphide is high, contact with oxygen in the open air can generate acidic water potentially damaging to the environment. It is then necessary to cover the residues with a protective layer preventing this type of reaction. »
Fortunately, the problem does not arise at the Lamaque mine, where the sulphide concentration of the rocks is very low, but where the carbonate concentration is high enough to neutralize the acids. A feature that simplified the task for a group of scientists from various Quebec universities, who mobilized to undertake an ambitious study on the re-greening process. “These rocks are poor in organic matter and essential nutrients for the establishment and growth of plants,” comments Martin Carli. We must therefore identify species capable of growing in an austere environment, because we cannot go and buy seeds at the garden center! This is why various experimental cells have been set up all over the mine site to allow field observation of candidate plants. »
Milkweed attacking the rocks One of the hardy species selected, which can be recognized by its pink flowers arranged in umbels, is well known to horticultural enthusiasts. This native variety that spreads easily – an asset – is actually a host plant that attracts monarchs, since it is the one and only source of food for their caterpillars. By developing revegetation techniques to green a mine site, we also create a favorable habitat for these butterflies, which contributes to their recovery. In return, because one service always attracts another into nature, butterflies participate in the pollination of flowers, which promotes the proliferation of plants. A good game plan for covering dumps quite naturally!
This remarkable biodiversity protection initiative is led by the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, in collaboration with the Montreal Insectarium and mining partners. It is part of the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining program, which was adopted by the Quebec Mining Association in 2014 and to which its members must adhere. The objective: to preserve natural environments and, in the event of unavoidable losses, to compensate for them through promising projects aimed at restoring biodiversity. “The link between native plants and pollinating insects is very promising, comments Martin Carli, and this collaboration with scientific teams is fruitful. The mine needs answers, and the academic community needs to find possible solutions. All of this can lead to something else. »
In the meantime, the experiments continue their course at the Lamaque mine, and if they prove conclusive, the milkweed could well green and flower the mine site.
Bacteria to the rescue Martin Carli also visited, and more than once, the LaRonde mining complex of Agnico Eagle in Abitibi, where gold is also produced. In this mine, which is the deepest in the Americas, we meet a completely different challenge thanks to a revolutionary purification process that relies on one of the quiet forces of nature: bacteria. Allies a little less romantic than flowers, but just as effective!
To isolate the gold from the harvested ore, cyanide must be used, which leads to the presence of environmentally harmful thiocyanates in the processing plant water. Problem solved in an exemplary fashion by the mine’s water treatment team, which developed an innovative purification process that relies on the properties of certain bacteria. The co-host of Genial! explains how it works. “The wastewater is heated and then sent to a bioreactor conducive to the growth of microorganisms. This contains a host of small plastic discs, which bacteria will colonize to ultimately form a biofilm. What is special about these bacteria is that they like to feed on chemical compounds based on cyanide, which they will later degrade into nitrates. Other bacteria, fond of nitrates, then take over, and after a few other steps, the water will then be released into the environment. This surprisingly effective method ensures that water can once again circulate in nature and accommodate fish and plants.
Science at the service of the environment Recognized worldwide as a leader in innovation in terms of sustainable development, the Québec mining sector is tirelessly investing in reducing its environmental footprint by relying, among other things, on the power of nature, whether by using wisely bacteria with unique properties, by focusing on the interaction between plants and insects, by restoring tailings sites with compost produced by MRC residents, or by erecting wind turbines in Nord-du-Québec and ‘huge solar energy capture walls with the aim of reducing GHG emissions
Martin Carli has visited many mining sites to produce reports for the program Awesome! and these educational expeditions enabled him to observe in situ the scope of these initiatives. “It is reassuring to witness such research into solutions that lead to scientific resolutions for the rehabilitation of the environment,” he concludes.
To view Awesome!
Broadcast Monday to Thursday at 7 p.m., on Télé-Québec.
Also available simultaneously and then at all times on telequebec.tv and on the Télé-Québec app.
For more information on the mining industry:
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Mission
As a creator of wealth, the mining industry in Quebec has adopted rigorous processes in terms of sustainable development in order to develop Quebec’s mineral potential while respecting people and the environment. At the base of all the objects that surround us, the mining industry is truly the inner strength of Quebec.
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