Page 5 - NBY-Nov2020

Mine Tailings

Meanwhile, an ongoing research project
at another Canadian college, the
University of British Columbia (UBC), is
looking into how to facilitate so-called
“direct capture” of atmospheric CO2 into
Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that wastes left mine tailings with the goal of at least
over from mining operations could be used offsetting the greenhouse gases generated
to absorb carbon dioxide and help solve the as a result of the extraction work. In
climate crisis? response to this challenge, UBC is
— D. Moore, Richmond, VA identifying common traits among
different types of mine tailings that excel
Yes, mining wastes (“tailings”) could at carbon sequestration in hopes of
indeed be part of the solution to our climate developing a set of protocols that mining
woes. Researchers have shown that alkaline operations anywhere in the world can call
wastes—such as the slurries (semi-liquid upon to reduce their impact and suck up at
mixtures), gravel and other industrial least the emissions their projects create.
detritus that accumulate during and after
mining projects—could be “reacted” with “Incorporation of carbon sequestration
airborne carbon dioxide (CO2), which would activities into mine operations...will
not only sequester some of this most generate economic, corporate and societal EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy
common of greenhouse gases but also advantages to mines and affiliated “Scientists identify new minerals for Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3
neutralize the otherwise hazardous alkalinity industries, including co-benefits such as carbon capture,” ualberta.ca/science/ nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://
of the waste itself. tailings stabilization, dust mitigation and news/2018/december/carbon- emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://
toxic metal immobilization,” they sequestration-new-minerals.html. earthtalk.org. Send questions to:
This is good news because tailings in and conclude. “Carrying this out on a global question@earthtalk.org.
of themselves can be a major environmental scale could trap between 310 million to 4
nuisance and health threat for those living billion tons of carbon dioxide annually,”
nearby. Since most of this mining waste Robert F. Service reports in Nature. “That Looking for a SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY?
comes in slurry form means it often ends up could provide the world with a much-
in or near water, which causes contamination needed means of lowering atmospheric CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING FULLERTON
issues and destroys aquatic life. And because carbon dioxide.”
tailings can be transported by wind and/or 373 E. Imperial Highway, Fullerton, CA 92835
water, they can easily expand their realm of It’s much easier said than done, and
contamination, spreading into nearby governments will need to offer incentives
waterways and destroying larger and larger on a massive scale needed to make a dent November 2020
swaths of wildlife habitat. in atmospheric carbon, Service says,
adding: “And engineers will need to
If we can turn our mine tailings into carbon figure out how to harness the wastes while
sinks (absorbers) on a large scale, it’s a win- preventing the release of heavy metals
win. Researchers at Canada’s University of and radioactivity locked in the material.” VIEW SERVICES on the INTERNET
Alberta seem to think so: Their March 2019
study found that the minerals in tailings CONTACTS: “CO2 Sequestration of www.CSLFullerton.org
naturally capture atmospheric CO2 if exposed Mine Tailings,” brimm.ubc.ca/slider/co2-
to them, and the findings are backed up by sequestration-of-mine-tailings/; click Sundays/Past Services
similar research elsewhere. Harnessing this “Revaluing mine waste rock for carbon
carbon sequestration (capturing) tool on a capture and storage, tandfonline.com/
global scale would do wonders for our doi/pdf/10.1080/17480930902843102;
collective carbon footprint. Call for prayer & updates

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