Regenerating Mining Wastelands into Productive Assets

Reducing the negative environmental impact of mining, which leads to half of the world’s carbon emissions and more than 80% of biodiversity loss. 

CleanStar Energy is regenerating land devastated by mining and turning an environmental liability into a productive green asset using Elite Pongamia, bringing back biodiversity and reducing carbon footprint.  

The World’s First Mine Land Regeneration Using Elite Pongamia

The work and preparation for establishing World’s first Elite Pongamia based copper (Cu) tailings dump regeneration began way back in 2015 where all previous attempts of establishing vegetation had failed. Grasses, local weeds, sunhemp, lupins had failed due to the prevailing conditions—4000ppm Cu (copper), 8000ppm Na (sodium),Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), 0% carbon and 0% nitrogen.

Mining for Cu (copper) generates enormous quantities of contaminated crushed rock. The processes of mining, leaching, solvent extraction, milling and smelting generate toxic highly erodible sludges (tailings) that contain elevated levels of Cu (Copper) and other minerals.

In 2016,  in one corner of Konkona Copper Mines’ tailings dump, spread over 625 Ha, began the pioneering work of regeneration. By January 2018, 13 months after they were planted, over 99% of Elite Pongamia survived under the most difficult of conditions—dust storms, soil erosion and no rain.  The trees received irrigation of a meagre 20 litres per plant a month during the driest month.

The genetic superiority of our Elite Pongamia—high survival rates and the promise of early yields, with the trees podding in the second year–was successfully established. The islands of colonizing species growing around Pongamia made way for the beginning of biodiversity. The pioneering effort is a breakthrough for addressing all such contaminated land regeneration.

BetterWorld Energy, based in Lusaka, Zambia, is our vehicle for the research, testing and implementation of innovative breakthrough technologies to resolve the most challenging environmental, social and economic problems using integrated approaches.

 

 

The vast desolate copper tailings waste dump

First step towards mine regeneration

The First Year–Signs of Regeneration

Second Year–Thriving under management

In the 3rd Year

Supports fauna

Dr Benjamn Warr-Founder Better World Energy. Pioneering mine regeneration using Elite Pongamia

How mining companies can benefit over the long term

Economic

Convert a mandatory compliance cost centre to a revenue centre under corporate social responsibility

  • Carbon Sink
  • Bio-diesel 
  • Bio-coal

Environmental

Rehabilitate and protect fragile, deforested, polluted landscapes and reduce GHG emissions

  • Reduced emission
  • Reduced dust pollution
  • Improved soil quality

Social

Increase income and the quality of life for producer-consumer communities around the mine sites

  • Long term economic asset
  • Sustainable local incomes
  • Migration mitigation

It is possible to reduce the environmental impact of mining. Fill in the form below to transform your mines.

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Green Mine. Carbon Sink. Environmental Compliance. 

It is possible to reverse climate and environment degeneration. But, we can’t do this alone. We need you too. Come, join hands with us to create a Carbon Neutral future.

India can convert all its mine tailings dump into Green Mine, meet its environment compliance and ensure social obligations. India is home to diamond, iron ore, manganese, copper, bauxite, coal, gold, lead ore, uranium, mineral oil/petroleum mines besides sand and limestone mining.