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Mining Environmental, Water Shortage and Land Reclamation/Revegetation Issues

From mine site to pollinators paradise – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – November 7, 2022)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Jenny Fortier and Northern Wildflowers plying their expertise to help regenerate mine sites

Jenny Fortier’s booth at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference got a lot of double takes last June.Nestled in amongst the technology experts and equipment manufacturers at the Toronto mining tradeshow, Fortier’s display stood out for its distinctly un-mining-like look and messaging.

A butterfly landing on a purple coneflower, with the company name, Northern Wildflowers, emblazoned across its promotional banner, doesn’t exactly scream “mining.”

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Jane Goodall to help celebrate Sudbury’s 10-millionth tree – by Tyler Clarke (Sudbury.com – July 6, 2022)

https://www.sudbury.com/

The public is invited to attend a celebration at Bell Park on Thursday afternoon, at which the 10-millionth tree in the city’s 44-year regreening effort will be planted and world-renowned scientist Jane Goodall will be in attendance

In what Mayor Brian Bigger considers a “historic moment” for Greater Sudbury, the community has been invited to celebrate the planting of the 10-millionth tree at Bell Park on Thursday.

World-renowned scientist Jane Goodall will be joining the 3 p.m. celebration at the William Bell Gazebo to film a segment for the upcoming IMAX film, “Reasons for Hope.” The city’s regreening effort under which these 10 million trees have been planted since 1978 certainly qualifies as a reason for hope, Bigger told Sudbury.com.

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Tapping mineral wealth in mining waste could offset damage from new green economy mines – by Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Kamini Bhowany, Kristy Guerin, Laura Jackson and Partha Narayan Mishra (The Conversation – May 30, 2022)

https://theconversation.com/

To go green, the world will need vast quantities of critical minerals such as manganese, lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements. But to some environmentalists, mining to save the planet is a hard pill to swallow if it leads to damage to pristine areas.

The good news is that in many cases, the mining for these minerals has already been done. After Australia’s major miners dig up iron ore, billions of tonnes of earth and rock are left over. Hidden in these rock piles and tailing dams are minerals vital to high tech industries of today and tomorrow.

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Chile sues BHP, Albemarle, Antofagasta over water use – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – April 8, 2022)

https://www.mining.com/

The Chilean government of ecologist and feminist President Gabriel Boric is suing mines operated by giants BHP (ASX: BHP), Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) and Antofagasta (LON: ANTO) alleged environmental damage caused in the northern Salar de Atacama salt flats, the world’s driest place on earth.

The State Defense Council’s (CDE) legal action singles out BHP’s Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine, Antofagasta and Barrick’s 50-50 Zaldívar operation and Albemarle’s lithium assets.

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The Drift: Trees, bees, fish and seeds: Vale’s biodiversity initiatives helping to recharge Sudbury’s landscape – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – March 22, 2022)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Modest greenhouse in city’s Copper Cliff neighbourhood is at the heart of unique reclamation program

On a cool, mid-winter morning, the outside temperature in Copper Cliff, just outside of Sudbury, has dipped to -10 and a fresh coat of newly fallen snow is blanketing the area. But inside the greenhouse owned by nickel miner Vale, it’s a balmy 29 degrees.

It’s rare for international mining companies to have greenhouses listed among their assets, but from the glass-walled facility, nestled at the end of a cozy street in a residential neighbourhood, Vale has happily been churning out thousands of tree seedlings annually since the 1950s.

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Living With Lakes Centre director says Laurentian must not abandon its environmental legacy – by Heidi Ulrichsen (Sudbury.com – November 1, 2021)

https://www.sudbury.com/

John Gunn said he fears the purpose-built Ramsey Lake Rd. research centre could even be sold for development by cash-strapped LU; ‘No one can confirm otherwise’

Laurentian University must not abandon its legacy of being a global leader in the environment as it restructures, the director of the Vale Living with Lakes Centre told the LU board of governors at their Oct. 29 meeting.

Back in April, Laurentian made massive cuts to its programs and employees. Among the programs cut were some related to the environment. That includes undergraduate programs in ecology, environmental science, environmental studies, major restoration ecology and restoration biology.

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Sudbury Accent: LU researcher tackles ‘the next frontier’ of Sudbury’s regreening program – by Colleen Romaniuk (Sudbury Star – October 22, 2021)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

A researcher at Laurentian University’s Living with Lakes Centre is planting the seeds for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly land reclamation process.

Jonathan Lavigne has partnered with Collège Boréal to explore the potential for pulp and paper mill waste and municipal biosolids as an alternative to the lime and fertilizer method of treating soils damaged by years of acid rain deposition.

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What mining, oil and gas industries can learn from Sudbury, the city that went from major polluter to thriving environment – by Nadia Mykytczuk (The Conversation – August 25, 2021)

https://theconversation.com/

Nadia Mykytczuk is the Interim CEO/President of MIRARCO, Laurentian University.

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg in Montréal two years ago, he promised to plant two billion trees by 2030 to help Canada meet its net-zero emissions goal.

Planting trees, however, is hard work. It takes money and planning. But a re-greening roadmap exists.

Sudbury, the largest city in Northern Ontario, transformed itself after decades of environmental devastation, brought on by the mining industry. Other communities and industries, like oil and gas, can replicate the city’s efforts to aid in global efforts to fight climate change.

A devastated landscape

For almost 100 years, Sudbury’s community and environment were blanketed in sulfur dioxide and metals released from the smelting of nickel ore.

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Other Voices: Biden infrastructure plan targets state’s coal communities – by Deb Haaland (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – August 1, 2021)

https://www.post-gazette.com/

Deb Haaland is the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

As I travel throughout America, I am filled with hope as I see businesses open and communities recovering. Thanks to President Joe Biden’s leadership in passing the American Rescue Plan and making progress in defeating COVID-19, economic growth is up and unemployment is down.

The nation’s ongoing economic recovery is opening opportunities to help stabilize and empower workers who have been facing economic instability since before the pandemic.

During my trip to Schuylkill County earlier this month, I saw firsthand how hardworking coal communities here in Pennsylvania helped power our country, but are now facing significant challenges in restoring their community environments and retooling toward developing a robust and sustainable clean energy future.

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Enviro programs should be added, not cut – by David Farrow (Sudbury Star – June 10, 2021)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

David Farrow is the Ontario Liberal Party candidate for Sudbury in next year’s provincial election.

During my first trip to Sudbury in 1985, I remember the area looking barren with little to no vegetation. It was a shock to someone who was a first-time visitor to the city.

Thankfully, local leaders have taken steps since then to restore the landscape and beautify our community, producing world-class results, in no small part due to the excellent environmental research and teaching at Laurentian University. It made the business hub of Northern Ontario a better place to live.

Shockingly, Laurentian’s School of the Environment and environmental programming, so important to the fabric of our city, have been gutted by the recent Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act proceedings, alongside other vital areas of study. This is a mistake, one that will have consequences in the years to come.

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Coal industry scientists say community involvement is key to making mines safe – by Bob Weber (Globe and Mail/Canadian Press – May 23, 2021)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Coal mines can be environmentally safe and can become useful, enjoyable landscapes when the seam runs out, say scientists working with industry.

But they admit that there are risks and costs, and urge communities and miners to work together from the start to understand and minimize them.

“There’s a lot of mitigative measures you can take when you’re designing a mine,” said Guy Gilron, a biologist and toxicologist who has worked on many mine projects, including some proposed for Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.

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Accent: Living with Lake remains a symbol of hope for Sudbury – by Elizabeth Bamberger (Sudbury Star – May 15, 2021)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Accent: Environmental excellence on the shore of Lake Ramsey must be preserved during Laurentian University’s restructuring process

There are landmarks in our city that show how the imagination and vision of small groups of individuals can take root and grow. Science North is a prominent example.

Another is Canada’s first school of architecture in 45 years that opened its doors to Laurentian students in 2013, seeding excitement, renewal and hope in the downtown core.

The iconic Vale Living With Lakes Centre on the shores of Lake Ramsey is a third, and its story needs to be told, especially in this turbulent time.

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Laurentian losing three key ‘Sudbury Model’ researchers – by Hugh Kruzel (Sudbury Star – May 13, 2021)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

They are a loss to regreening and land and water restoration efforts here and around the world

A university is not buildings; it is the sum of all the activities that go on in and around the campus; and much further. It is ultimately the interaction of learners and those who offer learning opportunities. It is the research and even the conversations between and amongst seemingly disparate parts that lead to surprises, discoveries, solutions, and understandings.

The removal of professors, staff, and the impact of cuts and closing, are beyond evaluation and reach well outside our geographic region. In ecology and environmental sciences, the closing of programs ends decades of awareness, sharing, and success in land, soil, and water research and restoration.

Laurentian, of course, is insolvent. To balance its books, it has cut almost 200 faculty and staff, and 69 programs. Graeme Spiers taught in a range of departments.

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Cleanup efforts of mining-polluted streams prove effective over time – study – by Valentina Ruiz Leotaud (Mining.com – May 9, 2021)

https://www.mining.com/

A new study based on long-term monitoring data shows that cleanup efforts can allow streams affected by acidic runoff drainage from abandoned mines to recover to near-natural conditions within 10 to 15 years after the start of abatement work.

In detail, the authors of the paper analyzed monitoring information over periods of 20 years or more for four mining-impacted watersheds—located in mountain mining regions of California, Colorado, Idaho, and Montana.

The sites were all designated as Superfund sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which helps fund the cleanup of toxic-waste sites in the United States.

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Cleaning up abandoned mines can help environment, create jobs in Appalachia – by Joseph Pizarchik (Kentucky.com – April 29, 2021)

https://www.kentucky.com/

Thousands of miles of streams across the country are running orange, contaminated by highly acidic water draining from abandoned coal mines.

Rather than supporting local economies, these abandoned sites and their pollution render water supplies and more than 850,000 acres of land unusable, while posing a risk of flooding and mudslides that could devastate entire towns.

All told, abandoned mine lands are an American infrastructure crisis. But, like many infrastructure problems, we can turn these liabilities into job-creating opportunities with investment at the scale of the problem.

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