This seminar will bring together leading experts from around the world to advance our knowledge and approaches to bioremediation at mine-impacted sites in the circumpolar Arctic. Increasing exploration and economic development in the world’s Arctic regions continues against a backdrop of growing attention on climate change, sustainability, and the critical importance of acknowledging Indigenous rights, governments, and ways of knowing. Advances in bioremediation in cold climates are a key part of this ecosystem; this gathering builds on UArctic’s reputation for northern leadership by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and identification of new approaches to research and innovation on this important topic. The seminar will pose the following key question to all participants:
What key innovations are required to advance bioremediation as a viable solution for mine-impacted sites in cold climates? What are the barriers, and how can these be overcome?
The immediate outcomes of this seminar will be the development of a framework for a discussion paper proposing a response to the key questions and a list of potential best actions for addressing key questions. Additionally, mid-term outcomes are to be the authorship and creation of a discussion paper addressing a response to the key questions and the advancement of select best practices for addressing key questions. Finally, the long-term outcome of this seminar would be the creation and development of new partnerships/structure to advance best actions for addressing the key questions.
The seminar will focus on four immediate priorities pertaining to mining remediation in the North: mine revegetation in cold climates, bioremediation in cold climates, community engagement in mine remediation and innovation and research in bioremediation.
Mine revegetation in cold climates
In the Canadian North, revegetation of disturbed sites after and during mining operations is one of the major concerns of the mine-impacted communities, including on the traditional territories of First Nations peoples. Mine revegetation is challenged by a lack of knowledge and scientific evidence available compared to the Southern Provinces in Canada. This lack of knowledge and evidence can primarily be attributed to major North/South differences in geography, climate and capacity. Largely, this is somewhat of a gap that we are trying to bridge. In addition, there is practically no native seed bank commercially available to support revegetation projects in the North and when native seeds are sourced, they are often limited. Researching innovative revegetation technologies and investigating which plants could be used to lead revegetation and restoration projects toward reconciliation is crucial. In the future, with constructive input provided by our First Nations partners, we hope to be able to restore the exploited land and use vegetation that is culturally/geographically relevant and fosters biodiversity. The connection to the land is culturally relevant for all Yukoners, but especially for indigenous individuals, and revegetation is our way of restoring, maintaining, and growing that connection.
Bioremediation in cold climates
Mining for precious and technologically relevant minerals is crucial for the continuing development of green technologies that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change. However, it is no secret that mining creates unfortunate by-products like waste rocks and tailings that can cause acid mine drainage. The mining industry is currently investing in and using active water treatment technologies, to tackle these by-products and their effects. Active technologies rely on labour, chemicals, and costly infrastructure which require upkeep and maintenance for the entire duration of the necessary treatment, including at the post-closure stage. A transition to cost-competitive and eco-friendly passive treatments or semi-passive technologies, which rely on what Mother Earth can provide and mimic the natural chemical and biological processes, will benefit the mining industry and the environment overall. Some examples of bioremediation involve experiments with saturated covers as they pertain to tailings management or further inquiries regarding bioreactors and mine impacted water. However, scientific evidence of efficacy in cold Northern climates is required to support the transition to passive or semi-passive treatments.
Community engagement in mine remediation
Western scientific approaches have been used and implemented broadly in the last decades. We believe that, although western science is the bedrock of our research, alternative perspectives need to be welcomed and heard. It is for that reason that we believe community engagement must be integrated as a cornerstone into every phase of the mine remediation and its associated research. For the Industrial Research Chair – Northern Mine Remediation, we practice transparency with our project results/development and communicate digitally with important members of the communities we work with. Speaking with First Nation and settler youth is also an important tool of community engagement. They are our future and should be given the opportunity to voice their questions and concerns. Seminars and courses at the high school level are a great way to do this while teaching them valuable skills and knowledge in the sciences. These courses and seminars are something that mine remediation research teams will really have fun with, as we do, and provide interesting insights that may be overlooked. Remediation and restoration are research tools that help advance reconciliation.
Innovation and research in bioremediation
Innovation is a commonly brought up topic when it comes to doing any sort of scientific research, especially when it comes to the environment. Research in mining remediation is no exception. Working with industrial partners who are willing and have the capacity to implement your results is an excellent way to promote innovation through research. Additionally, partnering or receiving feedback with local innovation incubators is another way to progress innovation in bioremediation. Applied research has always been a foundation piece of growing innovation and making changes to the status quo.
Innovation and research in bioremediation
Innovation is a commonly brought up topic when it comes to doing any sort of scientific research, especially when it comes to the environment. Research in mining remediation is no exception. Working with industrial partners who are willing and have the capacity to implement your results is an excellent way to promote innovation through research. Additionally, partnering or receiving feedback with local innovation incubators is another way to progress innovation in bioremediation. Applied research has always been a foundation piece of growing innovation and making changes to the status quo.
Subjectivity
In addition, this workshop will also acknowledge the topic of subjectivity when it comes to speaking about the North and how the Canadian North may be facing different but similar challenges to the other Norths around the world. Here is some more detail:
What does your North look like
It is quite often perceived that “the North” is a completely homogeneous entity. This is clearly not the case and occasionally researchers fall into this generalization trap. On a macro scale, the North American north is vastly different than the European north. Looking from a micro point-of-view, the American north is different than the Canadian north, and the Finnish north is different than the Norwegian north. Not only in aspects of geography and biodiversity, but also regarding culture, heritage, and other social factors that play an important role in how we see and study our “North”. This is a time to ask questions and understand key nuances that make the North so special and interesting to study and live in. Perhaps, by learning about another area of the north, we might learn something about our own northern home in the process.
During this workshop, there will be two tours provided by YukonU. The first will be a campus tour of the Ayamdigut Campus of Yukon University. Workshop participants will be able to visit all areas of YukonU, including but not limited to classrooms, learning and innovation commons, YukonU Research Centre and the YukonU Laboratory.
The second tour that will be given as a part of the Mine Bioremediation in Arctic and Sub-Arctic Canada Workshop will be a mine tour. The mine that will be explored is the Arctic Chief Mine. This mine has been abandoned since the 1960s and primarily focused on the extraction of Gold and Copper. It is proximally located only 6KM away from Whitehorse, making it an accessible example of why passive and semi-passive mine remediation is necessary during the extraction process.
University of the Arctic International Secretariat, University of Rovaniemi, Finland
Dr. Guillaume Nielsen, NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Northern Mine Remediation, YukonU Research Centre (YRC)
Dr.Bronwyn Hancock, Vice-Provost, Academic and Research, YukonU
Ayesha Ahmad, Research Assistant, Northern Mine Remediation, YRC
Avery Zammit, Project Officer, Northern Mine Remediation, YRC
Inderjeet Kaur, Research Assistant, Northern Mine Remediation, YRC