Researchers in Sudbury Test Bacteria-Based Technology to Extract Minerals from Mine Tailings

Researchers in Sudbury, Ontario, are testing bacteria-powered technology to extract critical minerals from mine tailings. The pilot facility, operated by MIRARCO Mining Innovation, a research arm of Laurentian University, covers 10,000 square feet. Tailings are the leftover rock and sediment from mining operations.

The process, known as bioleaching, uses microbes to break down tailings and release minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and copper. In Sudbury, the tailings contain an estimated $8 billion to $10 billion worth of nickel, according to Nadia Mykytczuk, CEO of MIRARCO. Researchers moved into the facility in May 2023 after years of preparation.

Bioleaching is in use at approximately 30 mine sites globally, but Canada has not achieved full-scale commercial deployment. Mykytczuk stated during a tour of the facility that the technology addresses both the need for critical minerals and the management of mine waste.

“If we want to find a source of the critical minerals in the near term, the mine waste are a fantastic opportunity. There's potential to extract billions of dollars worth of these critical minerals in a very short time frame.”

Tailings are typically mixed with water and stored in large ponds due to the high cost of reprocessing. This storage method raises concerns about environmental risks, including chemical reactions that generate acid and release metals into the environment.

To mitigate this, tailings are often stored underwater, but this requires stable dams to hold back millions of tons of material for centuries or longer. Jaime Kneen, national program co-lead with MiningWatch Canada, identified two main risks: the chemical behavior of the material and its long-term physical stability.

He cited the 2014 collapse of the Mount Polley mine tailings dam in British Columbia, which released toxic waste into nearby lakes and streams. Such failures can lead to severe environmental consequences. Federal and provincial governments in Canada have increased efforts to develop critical minerals to support supply chains for clean energy technologies, such as electric vehicle batteries, and national defense.

This push aims to meet rising global demand and reduce reliance on suppliers from adversarial countries. Bioleaching could provide a method to recover minerals from existing waste while addressing cleanup needs. Similar bioleaching projects are in early stages elsewhere in Canada.

Canadian North Resources has tested the technology at its Ferguson Lake project in Nunavut. In northern Alberta, an exploration company is examining microbes to extract rare earth elements from black shale. The Sudbury facility aims to scale up the technology for potential commercial use by industry.

Researchers plan to build larger spaces to demonstrate viability. Full-scale operations could enable extraction of valuable minerals from waste sites across mining communities.