RealFeedApp Microbes in rubble transport toxic minerals to the surface of waste piles
A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials reveals that microbes in the rubble of the Mount Painter mine have transported dangerous minerals to the surface over more than 80 years.
- Field
- microbes and viruses
- What they did
- Researchers found that microbes in the waste piles from an Australian uranium mine are transporting potentially dangerous minerals to the surface, where they accumulate at unexpectedly high concentrations.
- Why it matters
- This is useful for assessing the actual safety of abandoned mining sites, as it demonstrates that processes started in 1944 are continuing more than 80 years later.
#uranium#microbes#waste management#mount painter#radioactive waste
