Incorporating Hyperaccumulator Plants into Mine Rehabilitation in the Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract

The identification and use of hyperaccumulator plants in mining projects has been recognised as an important component part of mine planning at several sites around the world. Indeed, mine planning that includes hyperaccumulator plants requires operators to maximize the biological resources of a site by discovering and utilizing these unusual plant species at the early planning stages. These locally adapted hyperaccumulator species can then be used for rehabilitation in and around the mine area, or be utilized for their potential to extract ecocatalysts and metals. Such opportunities should be more widely explored so that these unique plants can become an integrated and valuable part of the mining process. This chapter concentrates on the experiences of integrating hyperaccumulating plants into mine rehabilitation projects in Indonesia and New Caledonia, in order to highlight some of the opportunities and challenges encountered when attempting to incorporate these species into the mining cycle.