Geomicrobiology of an acid impacted uranium mine in Kazakhstan
Event details
| Date | 04.03.2014 |
| Hour | 16:15 › 17:15 |
| Speaker |
Dr Brian Reinsch, GR-CEL, CEMBL EPFL |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
Acidic in situ mining of uranium is used increasinglyin the deserts of Central Asia (e.g., Mongolia, Kazakhstan) in order to supply the world with sufficient uranium for energy generation. Acid is injected into the subsurface and allows rapid recovery of uranium. But, what happens to the acid after mining stops? We investigate the environmental processes that affect the mobilityof the resulting acidic plume, and will determine the legacy of in situ mining. The native microbialcommunities, associated with the ore body, will undergo changes during acid mining which may affect the eventual pH and Eh restoration and subsequent immobilization of uranium. Therefore, the broad objectives of this study are: 1) to determine how the acid affects the Kazakh aquifer, 2) to determine what microbial communities exist pre-, during-, and post-mining, and 3) to determine possible strategies to enhance environmental restoration.
Short Biography:
Brian Reinsch is a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL (ENAC, CEL) originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in chemistry, and minor in mathematics from Chapman University (Orange, CA) and both a M.S. and Ph.D. from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA) under Greg Lowry. Throughout his career the environmental fate, transformations, and effects of heavy metals has been the main focus of his research. This current work is a collaboration between academia (EPFL) and industry (AREVA Mines in France).
Acidic in situ mining of uranium is used increasinglyin the deserts of Central Asia (e.g., Mongolia, Kazakhstan) in order to supply the world with sufficient uranium for energy generation. Acid is injected into the subsurface and allows rapid recovery of uranium. But, what happens to the acid after mining stops? We investigate the environmental processes that affect the mobilityof the resulting acidic plume, and will determine the legacy of in situ mining. The native microbialcommunities, associated with the ore body, will undergo changes during acid mining which may affect the eventual pH and Eh restoration and subsequent immobilization of uranium. Therefore, the broad objectives of this study are: 1) to determine how the acid affects the Kazakh aquifer, 2) to determine what microbial communities exist pre-, during-, and post-mining, and 3) to determine possible strategies to enhance environmental restoration.
Short Biography:
Brian Reinsch is a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL (ENAC, CEL) originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in chemistry, and minor in mathematics from Chapman University (Orange, CA) and both a M.S. and Ph.D. from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA) under Greg Lowry. Throughout his career the environmental fate, transformations, and effects of heavy metals has been the main focus of his research. This current work is a collaboration between academia (EPFL) and industry (AREVA Mines in France).
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Dr. Felippe de Alencastro and Dr Pierre Rossi, GR-CEL