Novel approaches to ecologically sustainable and safe rehabilitation of gold mine tailings

黄金是澳大利亚的主要出口商品，黄金采矿业为澳大利亚农村社区提供就业机会和基础设施。然而，金通常存在于富含毒砂的矿体中，这些矿体在提取过程后，可能会向环境中释放大量有毒的砷。墨尔本大学、斯塔威尔金矿公司和当地种子公司正在合作，确保含砷废物的修复是环境安全和可持续的。研究将调查植物种类的选择、影响植物存活的因素、植物对砷的吸收以及防止砷过度进入食物链。

Gold is a major export commodity for Australia and the gold mining industry provides employment and infrastructure for rural Australian communities. However, gold is often found in arsenopyrite rich ore bodies which, after the extraction process, have the potential to release toxic quantities of arsenic into the environment. The University of Melbourne, Stawell Gold Mines P/L. and Native Seeds P/L. are collaborating to ensure the rehabilitation of arseniferous wastes is environmentally safe and sustainable. Research will investigate the selection of plant species, factors affecting plant survival, plant uptake of arsenic and prevention of excess movement of arsenic into the food-chain.