Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/517266
j u n e / j u l y 2 0 1 5 www.resourceworld.com 49 mize the growth and performance of the most desirable microbes in a complex community. tiNy HelPers For biG ProbleMs Dr. Baldwin and her team are working to discover microbes with abilities to treat a wide variety of waste streams and to develop bioreactors in which to use these microbes to transform toxic compounds into more benign forms. The team looks for microbes thriving in extreme envi- ronments, laden with heavy amounts of metals, strong acids, sulfurous compounds and other chemicals. The challenge is learning about the conditions under which these microbes thrive so mining compa- nies can use the information as operating parameters to maximize efficiencies and robustness in full scale bioreactors. Another part of Dr. Baldwin's research involves collaboration between genomics scientists, mining experts and remediation specialists for tracking changes in popu- lations of microorganisms over time and under different environmental condi- tions. The valuable information gained from monitoring and gauging the effect of changes (e.g. pH, flow rates, tempera- ture, and concentration of compounds of interest) on the composition of the micro- bial community will lead to monitoring technologies that can further optimize bio- reactor performance. iNdustry CoNNeCtioNs Through Genome BC-funded projects, Dr. Baldwin is currently working with Teck Resources Ltd. and Imperial Metals Corp. to gather the data on the microorganisms that live and thrive in mine-affected water and to find ways to apply this knowledge to help improve mining safety and quality. Future aPPliCatioNs Genome sciences are starting to contribute to the development of novel exploration tools for geochemical prospecting For example, species of microorganisms known to be associated with specific ore bodies can be identified which may complement existing exploration tools. If biologically-mediated extraction processes reach full efficiency using genome-based technologies, it can result not only in increased profits from higher metal recovery from ore or waste rock, but also in the production of potentially benign tailings contributing to a more sus- tainable industry. Information gained from bar-coding living species through genomic analysis is proving to be an important tool for envi- ronmental baseline studies of proposed mine sites and as tools to monitor change in biodiversity during remediation. n