Researchers from Scotland and Canada partner to clean up contaminated mine water

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, have launched a project to treat contaminated mine water in Canada.

They plan to develop a low-cost system combining microalgae and calcium silicate to remove and recover cobalt, nickel and copper for reuse.

Low-cost biotechnical cleanup

The process uses microalgae to capture dissolved metals over extended periods, while calcium silicate chemically sequesters heavy elements.

This integrated approach promises a scalable solution for mine water remediation in regions affected by legacy and active mining operations.

Researchers at Strathclyde’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department will work closely with colleagues at Laurentian University to refine the system under field conditions.

Transatlantic research partnership

The initiative is funded through a share of a £1 million grant from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council, allocated via its International Science Partnerships Fund.

Canadian partners have also secured roughly C$250,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, forming part of a broader C$4 million investment.