From Toxic Pile to Carbon Sponge: Asbestos Mine Gets a Green Makeover

An abandoned asbestos mine in Baie Verte, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland, is slated for a significant environmental remediation project. BAIE Minerals, a company specializing in mineral upcycling, plans to initiate an innovative process to transform asbestos waste into usable resources. 

The Advocate mine began operating in 1963, supplying asbestos for Johns Manville’s diverse products. When the mine closed in 1994, about 50 million metric tons of asbestos tailings remained. Asbestos tailings are leftover rock and waste from mining that still contain asbestos fibers.

The tailings pile towers 505 feet into the air and is almost 9 football fields long and 5 football fields wide. Airborne asbestos fibers released from these tailings have raised concerns among residents.

BAIE Minerals intends to address this through an initiative similar to the company’s remediation work involving nickel mine tailings in Australia. The Advocate mine project will also allow carbon in the air to be captured, addressing environmental and climate concerns.

Environmental Gains and Economic Opportunities 

The proposed project offers dual benefits for environmental remediation and public health protection. Mitigation of air and water contamination will create a safer environment. 

Selling carbon storage credits and leftover minerals will help make the project profitable. BAIE Minerals will also collaborate closely with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance and minimize potential exposure risks.

Safety protocols are paramount. Workers will adhere to stringent safety regulations to prevent asbestos exposure. To demonstrate the safety of the remediation process, BAIE Minerals will initiate a demonstration project at the Baie Verte community college campus later this year.

Unlocking Carbon Capture: The Science Behind the Process

The project is based on a natural process called carbon mineralization. Some types of rocks can absorb carbon dioxide from the air. 

A type of rock that comes from deep inside the Earth called ultramafic rock has a lot of minerals in it like magnesium and iron and can absorb carbon dioxide. Asbestos also forms in ultramafic rock.

In 2022, research at the King City asbestos mine in California’s San Benito County revealed the tailings pile absorbs up to 179 tons of CO2 annually. Processing methods can speed up this natural absorption to remove more carbon.

BAIE Minerals is looking at special processes that involve increasing the surface area of the tailing pile. This will promote faster absorption of CO2.

Technologies under development include churning tailings, heating them to high temperatures and treating them with chemicals like strong acids. Each approach has its own advantages and challenges in terms of efficiency, cost and safety.

A New Era for Asbestos Remediation: Resource Recovery and Innovation

The first phase of BAIE’s initiatives will involve wetting the tailings so the asbestos fibers don’t become airborne. Then they’ll leach useful minerals using an acid solution. 

Minerals such as magnesium and silica will be used for purposes like cement and fertilizer. BAIE Minerals will later attempt carbon removal possibly using microwave reactor technology.

This kind of project represents a significant step toward sustainable asbestos waste management and environmental restoration. It has the potential to transform asbestos waste into a valuable resource. 

The insights gained from this remediation project may help other communities facing similar asbestos contamination issues. Public health officials hope the project will spark scientific innovation in asbestos remediation and contribute to a more sustainable and healthier future.