SIGNALS
NO.46
Genome BC News | Spring 2014
Contents Feature Story | Message from the President & CEO | Profile | Partnerships In Action | News & Announcements
MINING WITH MICROBES With the global demand for raw materials showing few signs of slowing, Canada’s mineral resource sector continues to be a mainstay of the economy. As more mineral deposits and gas reserves are found and developed, environmental safety concerns remain paramount. Extensive research demonstrates that bacteria can influence certain mining processes. We also know that the successful practical applications of technologies exploiting biological processes can be an important contributor to future cost competitiveness, safety and environmental performance in the mining industry. The next step is to further refine these applications.
Living things in and around a mine site, from a tiny microbe to a giant lodgepole pine, each contain a genome that dictates its biological functions. By sequencing these genomes and linking the information to changes in biological traits brought about by responses to the organism’s surroundings, a better understanding of the environment is possible. This means current challenges in mining could be improved through genomics-based technologies by providing a new performance measure of the biology of the environment. Some examples include mitigating the risks of environmental impact; testing toxicity for fish and wildlife; improving recovery of target minerals; extracting residuals from lower grade ores; identifying new deposits of interest; and increasing the robustness of remediation.
Living things in and around a mine site... each contain a genome that dictates its biological functions. By sequencing these genomes and linking the information... challenges in mining could be improved.
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