Advancing sustainable gold extraction
Liah Christie, Dr. Christa Brosseau and Tanner George
Mining is important to Nova Scotia’s economy, but traditional gold extraction methods are based on dissolution and extraction using cyanide slurries of powdered ore, a process known as cyanidation.
With financial assistance from the Mineral Resource Development Fund (MRDF), Dr. Christa Brosseau (Tier II Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Chemistry and Materials) and Dr. Robert Singer, Professors in the Department of Chemistry, are developing sustainable alternatives to using cyanide, and in turn decreasing environmental risks. The MRDF supports research that attracts investment, creates jobs, especially in rural areas, and promotes innovation in the mining sector.
Their research into task-specific ionic liquids (TSILs) offers a promising solution that will make metal extraction cleaner and more environmentally responsible. TSILs are customizable chemicals capable of efficiently and selectively removing silver and gold from base metals. Unlike cyanide, ionic liquids can be engineered to be non-toxic and biodegradable.
For graduate student Tanner George, working on this project provided a new perspective on sustainable mining.
“Having the opportunity to dedicate my time to understanding ore refinement has given me sincere respect for the challenge of effective, yet environmentally conscious and ethically sound mining practices,“ he said. “While we were not able to completely replace cyanide with ionic liquid thioureas, we recognize the need for chemists to lead the future of critical minerals mining.“
“This project reinforced my passion for research with tangible societal impacts, and gave me hands-on experience,” said Liah Christie, undergraduate researcher.
By exploring alternatives to traditional gold extraction, this research is contributing to a more sustainable mining industry and helps prepare the next generation of chemists for real-world environmental challenges
The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) at Saint Mary’s University facilitates research partnerships between the University and companies, government departments and community organizations. OICE is the initial point of contact for faculty members and external partners wishing to collaborate. The office assists with finding suitable expertise, contract development and advising on funding opportunities.
This project highlight is from the 2025 OICE Report, which features researchers from Saint Mary's University and their external partners.