UA SRC Trainees Working on Sustainable Mining Practices
July 1, 2023
Jessica Ledesma and Kamila Murawska-Wlodarczyk, UA SRC Trainees in the Environmental Science department working on Project 4, are both involved in projects with the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Mining (CESM).
Kamila and Jessica’s project is one of several in CESM that focus on revegetation to cover mine tailings and restoration of degraded lands. They are aiming to tackle issues of waste disposal in mining operations with reclamation technologies to control dust emissions and promote vegetation establishment and ecosystem health.
Jessica’s research focuses on characterizing and analyzing the topsoil that would potentially be used as capping material to revegetate areas affected by mine waste deposition. This full characterization involved prepping the samples and sending them out for analyses by several commercial laboratories for general soil properties such as soil nutrient composition, soil texture, and pH.
Kamila’s research was responsible for controlled conditions experiments involving plant germination, establishment, and development. Altogether, she tested 29 capping materials collected from three different locations, each representing different depths, to assess their capacity to support plant growth.
By exploring the unusual abilities of plants and their associated microbiome, the team is working towards a more sustainable approach to mining that benefits both the environment and the communities affected by mining operations.
The findings of this research provide a deeper understanding of the various factors that contribute to successful revegetation on mining sites. The researchers hope that their study will lead to more site-tailored solutions for the mining industry.
To learn more, read the complete article from the Environmental Science department.