Likelihood of using phytoremediation for mine-tailing management in Chile

Abstract

Chile has more than 750 mine tailings across the country, mainly distributed in the northern region, which also includes a biodiversity hotspot and the driest desert in the world. So far, tailing management has included chemical and physical stabilization of tailings, exclusively. This research examined the perceived likelihood of stakeholders, namely: Academia, Industry, environmental Non-Governmental Organizations, and Government officials, in the management of tailings and explored their attitudes toward the inclusion of plants and their associated microbes, as an additional stabilization technology, through an online questionnaire (n = 43). We aimed to answer What was the perceived likelihood of stakeholders for using phytoremediation for mine-tailing management in Chile? The consensus opinion across sectors is that there is general lack of proper tailings management in Chile. There is a critical willingness to incorporate phytoremediation, with a preference for using native plants. An absence of demonstrably successful phytoremediation projects, funding and access to suitable plants are perceived to be significant limitations. Local community involvement is considered key to successful restoration of tailings.

NOVELTY STATEMENT

The novelty of this research work comes from finding consensus opinion across sectors about the lack of proper management of tailings in Chile and a critical willingness to incorporate phytoremediation as an additional stabilization technology. Furthermore, it provides insights from professional stakeholders on the need for more studies on native plants that can be used in phytoremediation, to diversify the representation of stakeholders, and to include input from local communities, directly affected by mines.

Keywords:

• Copper
• phytoremediation
• restoration
• stakeholders
• tailings

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the UBC Public scholar initiative for a grant given to EMM.

Authors contributions

EMM conceived the project, designed the research, and analyzed the data, with assistance from RDG; EMM wrote the manuscript; RDG edited the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).