Media Release - For Immediate Release

July 20 2010

Green Energy Possibilities in Waste Mining Materials, Says Professor

Dr. Jacob Hanley and his students review findings from his pyrite investigations

Some mining companies may be throwing away rocks that could one day be more valuable than the gold and copper they are pursuing.

Saint Mary’s Geology Professor Jacob Hanley says recent research carried out in his Halifax lab shows that platinum-group metals can be found in pyrite, a mineral commonly discarded as worthless at many copper mine sites.

These platinum-group metals are critical for new energy technologies including hydrogen fuel cells and specialized batteries. In fact, one in four goods manufactured today either contain platinum group metals or play a key role during their manufacturing process.

“We are throwing metals away that could at some point help alleviate our dependence on oil and gas,” he said. “These could be key elements that reduce the cost of alternative energies like wind, solar and tidal power and make them more attractive for mainstream use.”

The rare metals of the platinum-group family (platinum, palladium, rhodium) have traditionally been found in geological formations common to South Africa and Russia. Canada produces only six per cent of the world supply, but Dr. Hanley believes they can be found in greater abundance in (porphyry) deposits in Canada if exploration companies recognize their importance.

“We initially missed them. We were not expecting to find them in the pyrite, but they are there in abundance in British Columbia where our country’s main porphyry deposits occur. Laboratory techniques available to us here at Saint Mary’s and through a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology allow us to measure their concentrations directly in the pyrite “

With the right processing, he said, the metals can be chemically separated and will benefit consumer when they purchase a hybrid vehicle or use solar power to heat their hot water.

Even if the volume of recoverable platinum group metals is not sufficient to warrant a mine, it could make marginal copper and gold mines more attractive by offering a second material to sell or process.

With the growing public focus on conservation and alternative energy options, he believes there will be growing demand for these platinum group metals.

“Traditional sources are drying up, so the time is ripe to pursue alternative deposits that have been considered unconventional in the past,” he said

The research that has led to the potential of the rare earth elements was made possible with the use of specialized microscopes at Saint Mary’s University. They were purchased with major infrastructure funding awarded to Dr. Hanley from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust in 2007.

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For More Information:

Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail: steve.proctor@smu.ca
www.smu.ca

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