Ecological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitation

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dc.contributor.authorWu, SLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLiu, YJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSoutham, Gen_AU
dc.contributor.authorNguyen, TAHen_AU
dc.contributor.authorKonhauser, KOen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYou, Fen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBougoure, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPaterson, DJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChan, TSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLu, YRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHaw, SCen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYi, Qen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLi, Zen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRobertson, LMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHall, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorSaha, Nen_AU
dc.contributor.authorOk, YSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHuang, LBen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-08T06:18:50Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-04-08T06:18:50Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2023-07-21en_AU
dc.date.statistics2024-10-02en_AU
dc.description.abstractEcological engineering of soil formation in tailings is an emerging technology toward sustainable rehabilitation of iron (Fe) ore tailings landscapes worldwide, which requires the formation of well-organized and stable soil aggregates in finely textured tailings. Here, we demonstrate an approach using microbial and rhizosphere processes to progressively drive aggregate formation and development in Fe ore tailings. The aggregates were initially formed through the agglomeration of mineral particles by organic cements derived from microbial decomposition of exogenous organic matter. The aggregate stability was consolidated by colloidal nanosized Fe(III)-Si minerals formed during Fe-bearing primary mineral weathering driven by rhizosphere biogeochemical processes of pioneer plants. From these findings, we proposed a conceptual model for progressive aggregate structure development in the tailings with Fe(III)-Si rich cements as core nuclei. This renewable resource dependent eco-engineering approach opens a sustainable pathway to achieve resilient tailings rehabilitation without resorting to excavating natural soil resources. © 2024 The Authors - open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.en_AU
dc.description.sponsorshipThe work is financially supported by Australian Research Council Linkage Project (LP160100598), Karara Mining limited, and The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA). S. Wu also acknowledges the UQECR funding (613767). XFM mapping was undertaken on the XFM beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, part of ANSTO (AS182/XFM/13331). The XAS analysis was undertaken on the XAS beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, part of ANSTO (Project Reference No: AS191/XAS/14392), as well as 01C1, 17C1 and 20A1 beamline in National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre (NSRRC), Taiwan. The authors also thank Dr Jin-Ming Chen in Beamline 20A1 and Dr Jyh-Fu Lee in beamline 17C1, NSRRC, Taiwan for technical support in XAS analysis. Dr Jeremy Wykes at XAS beamline of Australian synchrotron is also acknowledged for technical support in XAS analysis. NanoSIMS analysis was done at Center for Microscopy, Characterization and Analysis at University of Western Australia. The authors acknowledge staffs in Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at the Center for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland for assistance in XRD, XPS and BSE-SEM-EDS analysis. The Australian Center for Ecogenomics, the University of Queensland, Australia was acknowledged for Illumina sequencing analysis. Dr Elaine Wrightman in JKMRC, SMI, UQ has been acknowledged for support in MLA analysis. We also thank Dr Shuncai Wang and Jingfang Xue for help on the plant cultivation, maintenance, and harvest, as well as lab analysis.en_AU
dc.format.mediumElectronic-eCollectionen_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumber107102en_AU
dc.identifier.citationWu, S., Liu, Y., Southam, G., Nguyen, T. A. H., Konhauser, K. O., You, F., Bougoure, J. J., Paterson, D., Chan, T.-S., Lu, Y.-R., Haw, S.-C., Yi, Q., Li, Z., Robertson, L. M., Hall, M., Saha, N., Ok, Y. S., & Huang, L. (2023). Ecological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitation. iScience, 26(7). doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.107102en_AU
dc.identifier.issn2589-0042en_AU
dc.identifier.issue7en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleiScienceen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107102en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/16136en_AU
dc.identifier.volume26en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectIronen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectTailingsen_AU
dc.subjectMineralsen_AU
dc.subjectCementsen_AU
dc.subjectOrganic compoundsen_AU
dc.subjectWeatheringen_AU
dc.subjectBiogeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectSiliconen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectSoil chemistryen_AU
dc.titleEcological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitationen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
dcterms.dateAccepted2023-06-08en_AU
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