A new Canadian cleantech partnership targets growth in biomining, an technology which uses microorganisms to extract valuable metals from ores, mine waste, and other industrial processes.
Supported by an investment of up to $1 million over three years, the strategic collaboration between Genome BC and the University of British Columbia’s Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial implementation, according to a statement, by expanding training and research that develops practical examples of how biomining technologies can work on the ground in Canada.
“For BC to remain a competitive leader in the global energy transition, our mining sector must adopt technologies that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible,” argues Tony Brooks, who functions as Interim President and CEO of Genome BC.
Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization that has advanced genomics research and innovation for 25 years, attracting over $1.1 billion in direct co-investment to the province, which has contributed to funding more than 600 genomics research and innovation projects.
“By investing in this partnership, we are de-risking the development of genomic tools that allow industry to harness nature’s own processes to capture resources and ensure a more sustainable bio-economy,” Brooks stated.
The partnership between Genome BC and UBC is integrated with the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials, which received a $150 million investment over 10 years to advance early-stage platform technologies.
“The mining industry is at a critical juncture,” posits Dr. John Steen, Director of UBC BRIMM.
Existing deposits “are being depleted, and new locations require increasingly complex extraction methods and attention to environmental concerns,” he says.
The partnership with Genome BC “allows us to expand our research objectives and build the genomics capacity required to solve the mining sector’s most pressing metallurgical and environmental challenges,” Steen remarked.
The UBC’s Research Institute for Minerals and Mining was founded by Dr. Peter Bradshaw in 2017.