Ed, we are travelling on the slow side of steady and strong, the lee side of the wind BUT, I find stuff, you know that so I post it hear where I started posting:
I backed into This from the BMD Website :
Need to order airphoto's? Try: airphotos.nrcan.gc.ca
The Geological Survey of Canada: nrcan.gc.ca
For Free Gridded Elevation Data try: ngdc.noaa.gov
Check your stocks at the Canadian Venture Stock Exchange: cnnx.ca
Another site to check stocks: financialweb.com
A site for info on gold and precious metals kitco.com
Silicon Investors discussion group on Birch Mountain: www3.techstocks.com
Raging Bull's discussion group on Birch Mountain: ragingbull.com
birchmountain.com ( As On BM.com WEBSITE a DEAD URL so I clicked away and serendidity took me to MAPS!) BIOTECT SCITECH I had BEEN ..asaysing for MONTHS!
GET THIS SO I CLICKED ON PAGE CAN NOT BE FOUND:
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
I LOVE MAPS: nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
nrcan.gc.ca
BIOMINET NETWORK
The BIOMINET Network was established in 1983 and the scope of the network can be described as follows: "BIOMINET is a network of companies, research organizations and associated agencies interested in the applications of biological systems in all aspects of the recovery and environmental protection associated with the processing of minerals and fossil fuel resources".
OBJECTIVES
BIOMINET's objectives are to promote interaction among the academic, business and governement communities and to promote the adoption of biotechnology based processes in the mining and fossil fuel sectors in Canada.
ACTIVITIES
The activities of the network include publishing three newsletters annually, organizing an annual meeting and publishing the proceedings from the annual meeting. The BIOMINET Secretariat also serves as a source of information concerning the applications of biotechnology in the mining and fossil fuel sectors.
CANMET is also responsible for contracting out National Biotechnology Strategy (NBS) funding is to encourage the application of biotechnology in the fossil fuel and mining sectors by funding research for the development of biotechnology based processes.
MEMBERSHIP
The network has presently 400 members in industry, academia and government. Membership in BIOMINET is free and open to anyone interested in the network's objectives.
MANAGEMENT OF BIOMINET
The network is funded by NBS and administered by CANMET. It is run by a chairman and a secretary who are provided by CANMET and a steering committee which consists of members from the mining and fossil fuel industries, government and academia. One of the industry members chairs the steering committee.
CONTACT
BIOMINET Secretary
CANMET, Natural Resources Canada
555 Booth Street Room 318
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Tel: (613) 992-7286
Fax: (613) 996-9673
nrcan.gc.ca
BIOTECHNOLOGY AT THE MINERAL SCIENCES LABORATORIES OF THE CANADA CENTRE FOR MINERAL AND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personnel :
GeneviŠve B‚chard (613) 992-2489
Pierre B‚dard (613) 992-1687
Doug Gould (613) 992-1885
David Koren (613) 992-7286
Lyne Lortie (613) 992-1596
Alex MacLeod (613) 992-1416
Facsimile (613) 996-9673
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Equipment :
Laminar flow hoods
Temperature controlled room
Rotating Biological Contactors
Fermenters (3 L and 45 L)
Anaerobic Chamber
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support Services : Analytical instrumentation and laboratory
Technical services - electrical, mechanical
Technical library
Pilot plant testing facilities
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clients
ALCAN
AMOCO
Brunswick Mining and Smelting
Denison Mines
Iron Ore Company of Canada
Niobec
Nova-Husky
Quebec Cartier Mines
Transport Canada
Consortium of 11 mining companies interested in ammonium removal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projects
BIOMINET
Through a secretariat, the Mineral Sciences Laboratories manage BIOMINET, a national network funded by the Biotechnology Stategy Fund, to promote the use of biotechnology in the mineral and fossil fuel sectors. The secretariat facilitates communication amongst its 575 members by producing three newsletters per year and a general annual meeting. In addition, research and development funds are contracted out to support application of biotechnology in the mineral and fossil fuel sectors.
Contact: David Koren / Doug Gould
MICROBIAL REDUCTION OF SELENIUM
The biotechnology group has developed a process for the removal of selenite from effluents. The process employs a Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) and either sewage sludge or a culture of Escherichia coli is added to biologically reduce selenium to the elemental form and thus remove it from solution. A laboratory scale RBC with 100 sq. ft of disk surface and a 30 L capacity was tested. Using the RBC >97% of the selenium in the weak acid effluent was removed with a retention time of 4 hours. The selenium laden biomass that sloughs off the disks of the RBC is recovered from the effluent by centrifugation. CANMET has developed a process for the recovery of selenium granules from the biomass. To date, the purity of the selenium produced is 95%.
More recent work at MSL has been with an isolate of Pseudomonas stutzeri that is capable of reducing both selenate and selenite. The isolate was obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Mines laboratory in Salt Lake City. The new isolate will continue to reduce selenium in solutions containing as much as 3 g/L of selenium. Tests will be performed with this microbe using a trickling filter reactor in order to treat a selenium containing effluent from a copper refinery.
Recent Publications/Presentations
McCready, R.G.L., Salley, J., Smith, T.G. 1988. "Biorecovery of selenium" Proceedings of the 4th Annual General Meeting of BIOMINET, Sudbury, Ont. Publication SP87-10, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, Ottawa. pp 135-145.
Koren, D.W., Gould, W.D., Lortie, L.1992. "Selenium removal from waste water." International Symposium on Waste Processing and Recycling in Mining and Metallurgical Industries. CIM Annual Conference, Edmonton , Alberta, 23-27 August.
Lortie, L., Gould, W.D., Rajan, S., McCready, R.G.L and Cheng, K.H. 1992. "Reduction of selenate and selenite to elemental selenium by a Pseudomonas stutzeri isolate." Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58: 4042-4044.
Adams, D.J., Altringer, P.B. and Gould, W.D. 1993. Bioreduction of selenate and selenite. In: A.E. Torma, M.L. Apel and C.L. Brierley (eds.) Biohydrometallurgical Technologies, Vol. II, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, Warrendale, Pennsylvania. pp. 755-771.
Contact: Lyne Lortie
MICROBIAL AGGLOMERATION
Mining and milling operations as well as petroleum refineries frequently produce effluents that are high in suspended solids. The currently accepted technology for the removal of suspended solids is to add chemical flocculating agents such as polyacrylamides and alum. Both of these chemicals are environmentally undesirable. Some bacteria as well as extracellular polymers produced by bacteria can be very good flocculating agents. The main objectives of this project are to survey a number of bacteria for flocculating ability and examine various microbial polymers for their flocculating ability.
Results thus far have shown increased clarification rates of a clay suspension by the addition of a fermentation solution. Clarification rates were comparable to or up to 50% better than commercially recommended products. The estimated cost is competitive with the commercial products. CANMET is seeking industrial partners to help prioritize the commercial applications focus and to provide commercial scale and production expertise.
Koren, D.W. 1992. "Biocoagulation/bioflocculation - A Literature Review." CANMET Mineral Sciences Divisional Report MSL 92-36 (LS). April 1992.
Koren, D.W., Rajan, S and Chalykoff, C.M. "Bioflocculant Screening of Nova-Husky Bacteria" CANMET Mineral Sciences Divisional Report MSL 93-35 (TR). May 1993.
Jagannathan, A.B. and Koren, D.W. "Screening of Biopolymer Production for the Purpose of Flocculation" BEng. Thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ottawa. CANMET Mineral Sciences Divisional Report MSL 95-023 (ITR). June 1995
Contact: David Koren, phone (613) 992-7286
REMOVAL OF AMMONIA FROM MINING AND MILLING EFFLUENTS
Work is under way with trickling filter reactors for the removal of ammonia from mine and mill effluents. An integrated nitrification/denitrification circuit for ammonia and nitrate removal has been developed at the laboratory scale. The system uses continuously stirred tank reactors for nitrification and a packed bed reactor operated in the upflow mode for denitrification. We are presently testing a pilot-scale system for ammonia and nitrate removal. This work is being supported by a consortium of 11 mining companies.
Recent Publications/Presentations
Gould, W.D., B‚dard, P., Koren, D.W., Liang, D. 1993. "Removal of Ammonium and Nitrate from Mine Effluents by Sequential Nitrification/Denitrification" Proceedings of the General Annual Meeting of BIOMINET, Edmonton, Alberta. Publication SP93-1, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, Ottawa. pp 65-75.
Contact: Doug Gould / Pierre B‚dard / David Koren
MICROBIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE
Biological processes for the treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) using passive systems are emerging as an attractive alternative to conventional lime treatment. Development of a microbiological process using cellulosic waste was initiated in the Mineral Sciences Laboratories in 1988. Acid mine drainage was successfully treated for 4 years using a pilot-scale reactor. The artificial AMD of pH 3.5 contained 200 mg/L Fe2+ and 25 mg/L Al; the effluent pH was consistently greater than 6 and iron and aluminum were removed. Treatment of AMD using straw as a substrate was successful only if the artificial AMD was amended with sucrose. A comparative study of AMD treatment using straw and two types of hay demonstrated that alfalfa hay was a better substrate. A field study was undertaken in August 1989 at Halifax International Airport. AMD was successfully treated for a few weeks in the spring of 1990 before the reactor became oxidized and microbial activity ceased. Results from this study enabled MSL to propose an upgraded engineering design, which would ensure that anaerobic conditions are maintained within the reactor. MSL is presently looking for a partner to test the upgraded reactor design to treat acid mine drainage in the field.
Recent Publications
B‚chard, G., Rajan, S. and Gould, W.D. 1993. "Characterisation of a microbiological process for the treatment of acidic drainage." In: A.E. Torma, M.L. Apel and C.L. Brierley (eds.) Biohydrometallurgical Technologies, Vol. II, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, Warrendale, Pennsylvania. pp. 277-286.
B‚chard, G.M. 1993. "Microbiological Process for the Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage Using Cellulosic Substrates". Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University, Ottawa.
B‚chard, G., Yamazaki, H., Gould, W.D. and B‚dard, P. 1994. "Use of cellulosic substrates for the microbial treatment of acid mine drainage". J. Environ. Qual. 23: 111-116.
Contact: GeneviŠve B‚chard
MICROBIALLY INFLUENCED CORROSION
Corrosion which results in the perforation of steel pipelines is a major environmental and economic concern. The involvement of microorganisms in the pitting and localized corrosion of buried iron and steel has been well documented. However, the mechanisms which can adequately describe this corrosion have not been completely established. In collaboration with the Metals Technology Laboratory, the biotechnology group of MSL recently investigated the external corrosion of a pipeline steel. A full size pipe section was surrounded by environmental cells which contained water-saturated soils. After 16 months of operation, maximum corrosion rates of 2.0 mm/year and 0.5 mm/year were recorded for the open surface and underneath disbonded coatings, respectively. These rates are equivalent to actual field observations. Sites exhibiting the most severe pitting were correlated with an absence of hydrogenase activity and a large sulphate-reducing bacterial population. The absence of hydrogenase activity suggests that cathodic depolarization via hydrogen removal by the sulphate-reducing bacteria is not a requirement for severe corrosion. An increase in chloride concentration with time was also observed. It is possible that the chloride is interacting with corrosive bacterial metabolic products. A more complete understanding of the mechanisms of microbial corrosion will lead to improved methods of inhibition.
Recent Publications/Presentations
MacLeod, F.A., D.R. Kiff, and O. Vosikovsky. 1992. "Microbially influenced corrosion under disbonded coatings on a line pipe." In Gas, Oil, Coal, and Environmental Biotechnology IV (in press).
MacLeod, F.A., D.R. Kiff and O. Vosikovsky. 1992. "Microbially influenced corrosion under disbonded coatings on a line pipe" In Proceedings of the International Conference on Pipeline Reliability, Calgary, Alberta, 2-5 June. pp. VII-3-1-VII-3-11.
Contact: Alex MacLeod
BIOADSORPTION OF URANIUM FROM BACTERIAL LEACH SOLUTIONS
CANMET has developed a bioadsorption process for the recovery of uranium from the dilute (250-300 mg U/L) leach solutions being produced at Denison Mines during their bacterial leaching process.
Using pelletized, immobilized Rhizopus arrhizus in an up-flow column design, McMaster University recently completed twelve loading and stripping cycles for the adsorption of uranium. Thirty fold concentration of the uranium has been achieved and a larger pilot-plant study will be conducted in the future to assess the life of the biomass pellets, to optimize the flow rate and to obtain sufficient data to conduct an economic assessment of the process.
Recent Publications/Presentations
McCready, R.G.L. and Gould, W.D., 1990. "Bioleaching of uranium". In. H.L. Erlich and C.L. Brierley (eds.) Microbial Mineral Recovery. McGraw-Hill, New York. pp 107-125.
Tsezos, M. 1989. "The design and operation of a pilot plant on uranium biosorption" Contract Serial No. 89156-01-SQ
Tsezos, M., Georgousis and McCready, R.G.L., 1991. "A mechanistic study of the competing ion effects on biosorbents". In: R.G.L. McCready (ed.), Proceedings of the General Annual Meeting of BIOMINET, Mississauga, Ontario. Publication MSL91-001, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, Ottawa. pp 79-98.
Contact: Doug Gould
MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL
During the winter, airport runoff contains urea, ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol from de-icing operations. The high biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the airport runoff causes problems in the municipal waste water treatment facilities. Thus it is desirable that most of the glycol be degraded before the runoff can be released to surface waters.
Ethylene glycol degrading bacteria were first isolated from two areas near airports. An RBC reactor was then inoculated with a mixed culture of these isolates. Colonization of the RBC discs by the bacteria was very slow for the first two weeks, but some growth was observed in the third week. The degradation rate of ethylene glycol in the RBC was fairly low but as the biomass continued to accumulate the degradation rate increased.
Recent Publications/Presentations
Gould, W.D., Chalykoff, C., McCready, R.G.L., Salley, J., Worgan, J. 1990. "Microbial degradation of ethylene glycol using a rotating biological contactor". In: R.G.L. McCready (ed.), Proceedings of the 6th Annual General Meeting of BIOMINET, Laval, Quebec. Publication SP89-9, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada. pp.45-59.
Contact: Doug Gould
BIODEGRADATION OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS
Various organic reagents used in mineral processing and other impurities from the ore make the process water unsuitable for reuse. These organic compounds tend to interfere with the flotation circuit. If the organic compounds could be microbially degraded, a significant portion of the process water could be recycled. The use of an RBC to biologically treat mine process waters is currently being investigated. The following organisms that could be used in an RBC based system have been isolated from a sample of mine process water: Pseudomonas cepacia, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter agglomerans, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Proteus mirabilis and Providencia stuartii.
An industrial client uses triethylene glycol as a cooling coil anti-freeze and as a heat-exchange agent in their industrial operation. However, with biofouling of their process lines, the cooling solution in the equipment must be periodically changed and with leakage from gaskets etc, their waste stream contains up to 200 ppm of triethylene glycol which is ponded at their facility. As triethylene glycol results in a very high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in their waste lagoon and is fairly toxic, the company is not allowed to discharge their waste into the environment. As the company was aware of CANMET's process development for the degradation of ethylene glycol (airport deicing agent) they approached CANMET for assistance in the development of a biodegradation process for their triethylene glycol.
Similarly, CANMET was approached by another company requesting assistance or advice on the best method for environmentally safe disposal of 8500 cubic meters of coal tar which had been produced during the company's earlier coking operations. CANMET was requested to conduct a feasibility study on the biodegradation of the coal tar. CANMET has been supporting very successful contract work by Nova-Husky Research Corporation on the biodegradation of oil refinery sludges. By utilizing their experimental protocol we have obtained very promising results on the biodegradation of the coal tar.
During the production of aluminum by the Bayer process, organic components of the ore are degraded to toxic components such as oxylate. CANMET, in cooperation with ALCAN, has developed an RBC based process for the degradation of the oxylate to CO2 and H2O. Ninety-nine per cent of the pollutant is degraded within the RBC with an influent concentration of 12 g/L and a 5 hour retention time. This process is currently being tested on an industrial scale.
Recent Publications/Presentations
Brassinga, R.D., Fulford, G.D., McCready, R.G.L., Gould, W.D. and Beaudette, L. 1992. Biodegradation of oxalate ions in aqueous solution. Australian patent # 626,571. 25 pp.
Gould, W.D., McCready, R.G.L., Salley, J., Rajan, S., Chalykoff, C., Beaudette, L. 1989 "Microbial treatment of industrial effluents" R.G.L. McCready (Ed.) Proceedings of the 5th Annual General Meeting of BIOMINET, Calgary, Alberta. Publication SP88-23, Energy, MInes and Resources Canada. pp 39-55.
Gould, W.D. and McCready, R.G.L. 1994. "Biotechnological treatment of liquid and solid inorganic wastes". In: D.L. Stoner (ed.) Biotechnology for the Treatment of Hazardous Waste. Lewis Publishers/CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. pp 71-95.
Contact: Doug Gould
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last modified: January 19, 1996 by DWK
Chuca
Chucaupt2
Chucka |
