ASU tests enzyme treatment to stabilize toxic mine waste

Arizona: Arizona State University researchers are testing a new way to lock down hazardous mine waste as US mining ramps up.

Led by ASU’s Hamed Khodadadi Tirkolaei, the team developed an enzyme-based treatment that forms natural mineral bonds in tailings. The result is a protective crust that limits erosion, dust, and contamination of nearby water from arsenic, lead, and other toxins.

The solution can be mixed on site without heavy machinery, making it suited for remote and abandoned mines. It’s now being tested at Cash Mine near Prescott with support from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For sites with very high heavy metals, the team also created a plant-based biopolymer alternative.

With demand for critical minerals surging, researchers say the method offers a low-cost way to clean up legacy waste from America’s mining boom.