Ecofriendly Control of Mine Tailings Dust

This paper presents a study of using ecofriendly biopolymers for mine tailings (MT) stabilization and dust control. The results show that biopolymer can coat MT particles and create a binding network between the encapsulated particles, leading to increased water retention capacity and enhanced dust resistance. However, with sunlight exposure and wet-dry cycles degrading the biopolymer, this method can only be effective for a short period of time. Therefore, we have started to study the combination of biopolymer stabilization and biocrust establishment for MT dust control. Biocrusts are a community of organisms covering soil surface in arid and semi-arid lands and provide soil resistance to wind and water erosion. Since cyanobacteria, a dominant component in most biocrusts, are well-adapted to grow and persist on arid and alkaline soils and can cope with the presence of heavy metals, they can be cultured and then sprayed together with a biopolymer and nutrients solution on MT surface to establish biocrusts. In this case, the biopolymer provides the initial temporary MT stabilization, dust control, and a benign environment for cyanobacteria establishment, and as the biopolymer degrades, biocrusts develop and provide long-term MT stabilization and dust control.