Project Description

The British Columbia mining industry is a vital economic generator for the province, estimating at $8.5 billion in revenue per year. It touches the lives of every British Columbian, from creating 30,000 direct jobs to generating revenues used by the government to fund education, health care, transportation projects, and other public services. As the demand for B.C minerals grow in the global markets, so does the industry. However, current mining practices are expensive, chemically intensive, and energetically demanding. These practices lead to esthetic challenges (open pits) and the generation of tailings ponds that are difficult to monitor and control in the future. With environmental regulations becoming ever more stringent, these common practices are coming under greater scrutiny. The BC mining association and its members have taken a proactive stance; they were the first province to adopt a “sustainable mining initiative” aimed towards increasing efficiency while reducing environmental impact through innovative methods. In alignment with these goals, the 2014 UBC iGEM project seeks to improve the efficiency of mineral separation from impurities via a bacterium expressing two types of peptides on its surface. The first set are known to bind specifically to chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and sphalerite (ZnS), minerals commonly found in natural ores. The second set aggregates the bacteria to facilitate extraction. By developing a novel directed evolution apparatus to work in concert with our chassis, we will be able to generate a wide array of peptides specific to different valuable minerals, granting our system versatility and adaptability for the changing needs in both the mining industry and the BC economy. This biological approach provides an alternative in mineral processing that involves fewer harmful chemicals, greater selectivity and better recovery of metals in complex or lower grade ores. Furthermore, this technology may remediate tailings and waste, allowing us to one day enrich more metals out of less rock. Such an implication can have significant effects financially and environmentally for the mining industry, thereby creating a more sustainable future.

Abstract

The local mining industry is an important economic sector for British Columbia, Canada. With increasing mandates calling for “sustainable mining initiatives”, one of the aims is to reduce the environmental impact of mining by increasing mining efficiency through innovative ways. Our project seeks to improve physical separation processes by targeting chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and sphalerite (ZnS) minerals in natural ores using unique metal-binding peptides displayed on the S-layer of Caulobacter crescentus. We furthered our work by developing a novel directed evolution apparatus that will provide us new tools in improving ore separation, thereby granting our technology versatility and adaptability for biomining. This biological approach provides an alternative in mineral processing that involves fewer harmful chemicals, greater selectivity and better recovery of metals in complex or lower grade ores.