Biogeocementation - Biologically Catalyzed reactions to improve the geotechnical properties of tailings deposits******

加拿大采矿业在矿山运营期间和关闭后都需要改善尾矿库的性能，这一需求尚未得到满足。尾矿是从矿山作业中提取和回收有价值的矿物后留下的副产品。这些尾矿要么被回填到矿场，要么被处置在尾矿库中，如大坝、抬高的堤坝或河流、湖泊和海洋中。如果不进行处理，可能需要几百年的时间来加固这些大坝，因为尾矿的释水性能很差。尾矿的有毒性质意味着有毒化学物质很容易扩散到周围环境中，淋洗酸性排水和地下水中的重金属。*尾矿的生物固结是一个有吸引力的概念，它使用生物催化的反应来创造类似岩石的尾矿沉积物，因为可以形成一种足够耐用的“水泥”，以改善尾矿的机械性能。目前微生物生物矿化的研究在技术上是可行的，但还需要更多的实验室“概念验证”工作，以吸引来自行业合作伙伴的资金，以转移到中试规模的测试。*研究将集中在负责产生方解石或“水泥”的微生物如何在尾矿库中生存，它们在胶结尾矿方面的效率，以及在加拿大各地的尾矿库中大规模利用这些微生物的可行性。如果证明可行，这项技术将通过减少接触有毒化学品的时间来改善公众和环境的健康。此外，矿山作业的碳足迹将减少，额外的水可以在加工步骤中重复使用，尾矿设施的安全和稳定性将得到提高。**

The mining industry in Canada has an unmet need to improve tailings deposit performance both during mine operation and post-closure. Tailings are the byproducts that remain following the extraction and recovery of valuable minerals from mine operations. These tailings are either backfilled into mine sites, or disposed of in tailings impoundments, such as dams, raised embankments or in rivers, lakes and oceans. With no treatment it can take several hundred years to consolidate these dams, due to the poor water-releasing property of the tailings. The toxic nature of tailings means poisonous chemicals can easily diffuse into the surrounding environment, leaching acidic drainage and heavy metals to groundwater. ****The biogeocementation of tailings, using biologically catalyzed reactions to create rock-like tailings deposits, is an attractive concept because a 'cement' can be formed that is durable enough to improve the mechanical behaviour of the tailings. The current state of research in microbial biogeocementation is technically viable, but additional laboratory 'proof of concept' work is needed to attract funding from industry partners to move to pilot-scale testing.****Research will focus on how microbes responsible for producing the calcite, or 'cement', will survive in tailings dams, how effective they are at cementing the tailings, and the feasibility for utilizing these microbes at a scale seen in tailings dams around Canada. If proven viable, this technology will improve the health of both the public and the environment by reducing exposure time to toxic chemicals. In addition, the carbon footprint of mine operations will be reduced, additional water can be re-used during processing steps, and the safety and stability of tailings facilities will be increased.**