Together with an international group of researchers, including Dr Doug Aitken and Dr Steven Micklethwaite (SMI UQ), SMI Chile researcher Nigel Wight has contributed to new scientific research addressing the security and sustainability of mineral supply for the global energy transition.
Nigel Wight is one of the authors of the article entitled “Global, Interdisciplinary Research to Guide a Secure and Sustainable Expansion of Mineral Supply Chains”, recently published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
The paper highlights the importance of international interdisciplinary research collaboration in sustainably and responsibly expanding global mineral supply chains. It identifies key areas for action, including addressing water consumption and contamination in mining through improved tailings management and upstream process innovations. It also explores ways of reducing solid waste generated by mining operations by repurposing it as construction material and recovering minerals from aqueous waste streams.
Figure 2. Role of community, university, industry, and government stakeholders in driving technology, environmental modeling, and systems analysis innovations.
“The introduction of new technologies that improve water efficiency and reduce waste generation will involve trade-offs, including the potential for increased energy consumption,” the authors explain. “However, the development and implementation of sensor networks to support community-based monitoring of the changes brought about by these technological developments can also contribute to dialogue between communities and mining operations.”
The authors also highlight the potential of energy system models to explore the regional and global environmental impacts of changes in the mining sector. “Innovation in the mining sector requires collaboration among engineers, scientists, social scientists, policy experts and other stakeholders across academia, industry, government and non-governmental organisations,” they state.
“Given the wide range of mining experiences across different countries, international collaboration between nations with established mining sectors — such as Chile and Australia — and those with ambitious plans to expand their mining industries — including the United States and Canada — is essential to addressing the challenges facing the mining sector,” the authors explain. “Countries need to coordinate to avoid injustices in the distribution of the burdens and benefits of mining. At the same time, collaboration on a global scale can help establish best practices based both on lessons learned in countries with long-established mining industries and on insights emerging as the sector evolves.”
The publication is the result of research conducted by Margaret G. O’Connell, Doug Aitken, Robin Bullock, Giuseppe Buscarnera, Jean-François Gaillard, Matthew A. Grayson, Ashty S. Karim, Richard La Douceur, Kimberly R. Marion Suiseeya, Steven Micklethwaite, Pablo Pasten, I. Daniel Posen, Rajesh Sankaran, Avner Vengosh, Álvaro Videla, Nigel Wight and Jennifer B. Dunn.
Read the full article at the following link
