Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

The objective of this research project is to examine the potential to use leonardite and biochar to clean upmetals in mining impacted water and soil. Leonardite is a carbon-rich material derived from the oxidation ofLignite and is rich in humic acid and biochar is a product that results from the oxygen limited, pyrolysis ofvarious biological ingredients, such as wood, fish or animal bone. Both leonardite and biochar amendments candecrease the amount of heavy metals available to plants and microorganisms in the soil, as well as, improvephysical, chemical and biological soil properties.Wapaw Bay Resources Inc. (WBR) owns a leonardite mine in northern Saskatchewan that has been inoperation since 2007. Leonardite is currently used as a soil amendment in agriculture and residentialgardening. However, leonardite appears to have excellent metal sequestration properties and WBR is interestedin examining the potential for leonardite be used in the metal mine industry for environmental remediation. Inaddition, WBR would like to examine the use of leonardite in contrast and combination with biochar.Applications of leonardite and biochar for water and soil remediation and restoration will be studied by: 1)Examination of the capacity of WBR leonardite and biochar to adsorb metals in water; 2) examination of thecapacity of WBR leonardite and biochar to sequester metals in tailings and 3) exploration of the ability ofleonardite and biochar to sequester metals and promote plant growth.