The Australian CSIRO (« Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ») scientists have recently discovered some new ways to recycle mining industry by-products. Some of them (neutralized used acid, steelmaking by-products, calcined magnesia, red muds and sands from the aluminia industry, attapulgite type clays, zeolites, laterites, etc) could help to rehabilitate contaminated soils or to treat waste water.

If these new recycling ways are varied, the central objective is to absorb the contaminant substances and decrease their effect on the environment.

For example,some of them could absorb the contaminated waters nutrients (in particular in a agricultural zone) to avoid the green algae proliferation. Other sub-products may help decreasing the soil acidity, increasing its fertility, or rehabilitating some contaminated zones.

As all those processes (still being tested) make wastes potentially “green products”, the mining industry ecological impact could be reduced if the processes are developed on a great scale.

This project has been developed between 2009 and endings of 2010 for the « Western Australian Water Foundation » in partnership with the Western Australia Water Department.

Source :

CSIRO :

www.csiro.au