Mine Dump Biofuel Project Shows Promise

In South Africa, green technology company G-Tech has had early success in its attempt to grow biofuel feedstock as part of a mine dump rehabilitation project. The project is situated in one of the gold dumps in the area to establish the viability of the concept.

G-Tech rehabilitates wastelands by restoring indigenous biodiversity by ‘planting' polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable thermoplastic polymer that stimulates the growth of plants on any type of surface. The company planted sorghum and soybean feedstock in December 2015 with more than 50% of the sorghum planted surviving despite using only rainwater for irrigation.

However, soybeans had not responded well to the conditions, prompting the company to reassess how to improve the legume's chances of surviving in future trials.

Proving that biofuel feedstocks can be grown on mine dumps, could lead to multiple benefits, thus, providing mines with economic and environmental incentives to rehabilitate their sites as well as create significant job opportunities in former mining areas for growing and processing biofuel feedstock.