Startup looks to create in-demand materials out of common waste: 'Should really be viewed as a change in perspective'

A startup from Australia intends to reduce mining waste by turning it into sand, a surprisingly in-demand commodity, according to Mining Technology.

OreSand is backed by the University of Queensland and has earned praise for its ingenuity and potential to transform a dangerous wastestream into something useful.

At issue are the loads of mine waste, or tailings, that are left after digging for valuable metals and minerals. Many of the deposits are needed to power the shift to cleaner technology via batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicles. But about 16.5 billion tons of dirty nonrenewables are also hauled from Earth each year, according to Sustainability by Numbers.

We also use more than 55 billion tons of sand a year for construction and other projects. But much of it is gathered from rivers, lakes, and oceans. The dredging can cause environmental damage, according to a study shared by ScienceDirect.

OreSand offers a two-part solution — reducing tailings and making much-needed sand. The innovation uses "research-backed data" to help extract it from mining processes that already crush rock to harvest targeted deposits. Copper, gold, iron ore, and planet-warming coal were some of the ones listed in the report.

In total, nearly 16 billion tons of tailings are produced annually.

"All of which must be stored safely for a significant amount of time — if not in perpetuity," Simon Jowitt, director and state geologist with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, said.

An effective way to use tailings can make harvesting ores needed for a cleaner future more sustainable, as well. OreSand can also be used for road construction, brickmaking, and concrete production, all per Mining Technology.

"Technically, this is not tailings repurposing, this is a product made from the ore. This is a process that reduces or avoids waste and should really be viewed as a change in perspective," OreSand head and University of Queensland professor Daniel Franks said, per Mining Technology.

Old mines are being transformed for cleaner futures as part of geothermal operations. Another idea, coming from Pennsylvania State University, is investigating using old oil and gas wells as holds for excess renewable power through compressed air energy storage.

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It's all part of the shift to a cleaner, more sustainable future with processes that generate less heat-trapping air pollution. The fumes are impacting even our oceans, which absorb 91% of Earth's excess warmth, causing sea-level rise and coral bleaching, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Rising oceans are endangering coastal communities such as Hampton Roads, Virginia.

By staying educated about how human activity is impacting the planet, you can make informed decisions about what products to buy and even form a cleaner investment strategy that matches your values.

At OreSand, economic factors and government policies will play a role in bringing the process to scale, per the report.

"Obviously, there is likely to be profits made as well, but more good Samaritan-type legislation may be needed to more fully realize this potential," Jowitt said.

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