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Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich so ....Rehabilitation strategies for metalliferous mine wastes using native metallophytes from Pb-Zn-Ag gossans, northwest Queensland. The global area covered with mine waste is in the order of 100 million hectares containing several 100,000 million tonnes of mine wastes. The long-term sustainable rehabilitation of metal mine sites is inhibited by our lack of knowledge of metal resistance and uptake by Australian native plants. This project will evaluate metallophytes naturally growing on metal-rich soils, northwest Queensland, for their capabilities and revegetation potential when grown in mine wastes of the Cannington Ag-Pb-Zn mine. Outcomes will include practical, innovative methods of mine site rehabilitation that are low-cost and environmentally-friendly.Read moreRead less
Ecosystem restoration of bauxite-processing residue sand disposal areas in Western Australia: Important biogeochemical processes and effective fertilisation strategies. Alumina production is one of Australia's most important mining activities. Residue from bauxite-processing must be managed appropriately to minimise detrimental impacts on the surrounding environment. The location of Alcoa's WA Refineries in environmentally- and community- sensitive areas necessitates a detailed understanding of ....Ecosystem restoration of bauxite-processing residue sand disposal areas in Western Australia: Important biogeochemical processes and effective fertilisation strategies. Alumina production is one of Australia's most important mining activities. Residue from bauxite-processing must be managed appropriately to minimise detrimental impacts on the surrounding environment. The location of Alcoa's WA Refineries in environmentally- and community- sensitive areas necessitates a detailed understanding of residue disposal area (RDA) management. Currently little is known about the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon in the residue sand despite its importance for sustainable rehabilitation practice. Findings from this project are critical for developing improved fertilisation strategies and protocols for ecosystem restoration of RDAs, which will be applicable both in Australia and overseas. Read moreRead less
Development of cryopreservation for high value provenance collections of recalcitrant plant species used in post-mining restoration. This project will develop new and innovative ways to store highly valued native plant germplasm at ultra cold temperatures (-196 °C, in liquid nitrogen) as a means to ensure that elite genotypes used in minesite restoration and critically endangered species are not lost forever to extinction. This project will be the first of its type in Australia utilising a multi ....Development of cryopreservation for high value provenance collections of recalcitrant plant species used in post-mining restoration. This project will develop new and innovative ways to store highly valued native plant germplasm at ultra cold temperatures (-196 °C, in liquid nitrogen) as a means to ensure that elite genotypes used in minesite restoration and critically endangered species are not lost forever to extinction. This project will be the first of its type in Australia utilising a multidisciplinary approach to answer key storage questions and will provide significant national benefits to conservation programs and landcare groups, providing these with additional resources to ensure the long-term survival of native plant germplasm collections. Read moreRead less
Phosphate stabilisation of metalliferous mine wastes: The key to solving a major environmental issue? Mine wastes represent the greatest proportion of solid waste produced by mankind. Unconstrained drainage from sulfide-rich mine wastes impacts on water, soil and sediment quality. This project will establish the scientific principles of phosphate stabilisation, which involves the addition of phosphate compounds to mine wastes and soils to permanently contain metals and acid. A solid understandin ....Phosphate stabilisation of metalliferous mine wastes: The key to solving a major environmental issue? Mine wastes represent the greatest proportion of solid waste produced by mankind. Unconstrained drainage from sulfide-rich mine wastes impacts on water, soil and sediment quality. This project will establish the scientific principles of phosphate stabilisation, which involves the addition of phosphate compounds to mine wastes and soils to permanently contain metals and acid. A solid understanding of this emerging technology is a prerequisite for any sustainable management of mine sites. The study will provide the foundation of future management tools needed by landholders, industry and regulators to remediate mined land and waste repositories.Read moreRead less
Enhancing native seed performance for minesite restoration and biodiversity conservation. The knowledge and practical outcomes generated from this project will facilitate more effective restoration of degraded native ecosystems through the return of a wider range of key understorey plant taxa and more efficient use of seed supplies. Availability of a broader suite of species will increase biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience to change, and help in the conservation and recovery of nationall ....Enhancing native seed performance for minesite restoration and biodiversity conservation. The knowledge and practical outcomes generated from this project will facilitate more effective restoration of degraded native ecosystems through the return of a wider range of key understorey plant taxa and more efficient use of seed supplies. Availability of a broader suite of species will increase biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience to change, and help in the conservation and recovery of nationally threatened taxa. By increasing the range of species with horticultural potential available for commercial propagation, it will also reduce the harvest of wild flowers. More efficient production and use of seed stocks will reduce the pressure on limited seed resources from seed harvesting.Read moreRead less
The history of North Stradbroke Island's wetlands: defining natural climate variability in south-east Queensland and improving ecosystem management. South-east Queensland has among the fastest growing populations in Australia. It has also experienced severe drought lasting more than a decade. These combined pressures have led to the expenditure of more than $9 Billion on water resource development. However, it is not known whether the current drought is part of a natural cycle (or, importantly, ....The history of North Stradbroke Island's wetlands: defining natural climate variability in south-east Queensland and improving ecosystem management. South-east Queensland has among the fastest growing populations in Australia. It has also experienced severe drought lasting more than a decade. These combined pressures have led to the expenditure of more than $9 Billion on water resource development. However, it is not known whether the current drought is part of a natural cycle (or, importantly, if it represents the worst extremes in such a cycle). We will determine whether this is the case and, in doing so, contribute to national and international debates about the role of human-induced vs natural climate change.Read moreRead less
Forest ecosystem diversity, function and service in response to perturbations: the key regulatory role of biogeochemical cycling. The natural and anthropogenic perturbations such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen(N) deposition, fires and land contamination have transformed much of the land surface on the earth and significantly modified terrestrial biogeochemical cycles in the past century. This project seeks to develop and apply novel nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ....Forest ecosystem diversity, function and service in response to perturbations: the key regulatory role of biogeochemical cycling. The natural and anthropogenic perturbations such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen(N) deposition, fires and land contamination have transformed much of the land surface on the earth and significantly modified terrestrial biogeochemical cycles in the past century. This project seeks to develop and apply novel nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, isotopic and bio-molecular techniques to examine the key role of interactive biogeochemical cycles of carbon and major elements (N, Phosphorous) in regulating forest ecosystem responses to these perturbations. This project will result in improved mitigation and adaptation strategies for such perturbations, thereby restoring and sustaining forest ecosystems and conserving biodiversity in natural ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Polymetallic phytoextraction applied to mine waste. Phytoextraction involves the use of hyperaccumulator plants to grow and concentrate a metal. Subsequently, the crop is harvested and the metal extracted. The aim of this research is to investigate the uptake and chemically induced uptake of heavy metals (Ni, Co, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Pt, Pd, Cr) by plants grown on mine tailings and mine waste materials. Outcomes will include practical methods of metal extraction that are cheap to employ where met ....Polymetallic phytoextraction applied to mine waste. Phytoextraction involves the use of hyperaccumulator plants to grow and concentrate a metal. Subsequently, the crop is harvested and the metal extracted. The aim of this research is to investigate the uptake and chemically induced uptake of heavy metals (Ni, Co, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Pt, Pd, Cr) by plants grown on mine tailings and mine waste materials. Outcomes will include practical methods of metal extraction that are cheap to employ where metal concentrations are subeconomic and of potential environmental impact during mining and after mine closure.Read moreRead less
Optimising seed sourcing for effective ecological restoration. This project aims to address the sourcing of native seed for ecological restoration under global change. The great demand for native seed to deliver ecological restoration provides a clear need and responsibility to use this seed as efficiently as possible. This project expects to develop detailed new knowledge that links plant and environmental genomics, plant physiology, seed and soil biology in embedded experiments at post-mining ....Optimising seed sourcing for effective ecological restoration. This project aims to address the sourcing of native seed for ecological restoration under global change. The great demand for native seed to deliver ecological restoration provides a clear need and responsibility to use this seed as efficiently as possible. This project expects to develop detailed new knowledge that links plant and environmental genomics, plant physiology, seed and soil biology in embedded experiments at post-mining rehabilitation sites. Expected outcomes include clear industry guidelines that refine seed sourcing strategies for ecological restoration for current and future climates. This should provide significant benefits for improved ecological restoration outcomes when using native seed today and into the future.Read moreRead less
Biogeochemistry of ferruginous duricrusts. The project is focussed on the examination and application of microbial iron cycling in the formation of geologically stable, iron duricrusts in tropical regimes. The aim of the project is to develop a site-scale bioremediation strategy for iron ore mines by re-establishing canga, which are ‘ancient’ distinct ecosystems possessing unique plant species rarely found on Earth. This university-industry collaboration aims to produce economic benefits for the ....Biogeochemistry of ferruginous duricrusts. The project is focussed on the examination and application of microbial iron cycling in the formation of geologically stable, iron duricrusts in tropical regimes. The aim of the project is to develop a site-scale bioremediation strategy for iron ore mines by re-establishing canga, which are ‘ancient’ distinct ecosystems possessing unique plant species rarely found on Earth. This university-industry collaboration aims to produce economic benefits for the world’s iron mining industry through advanced training in mining-related research, and through the completion of the mining life cycle by site remediation, enhancing Australia’s position as a global leader in providing innovative solutions to today’s mining challenges.Read moreRead less