Anglo American uses ‘nature’s fingerprint’ at rehabilitated mine sites
Anglo American uses ‘nature’s fingerprint’ at rehabilitated mine sites
Anglo American is harnessing cutting-edge DNA technology for use in ecological monitoring and mine rehabilitation across the Bowen Basin in Queensland.Using environmental DNA, also known as eDNA, teams have been collecting microscopic traces of genetic material left behind by plants, animals, bacteria and fungi in soil and water samples across Anglo American’s five steelmaking coal mine sites.In the newest toolkit addition, environment teams are also now collecting DNA from the air using easy-to-deploy sample collection kits — utilising the same science used from forensic investigations — to track native species living in or passing through rehabilitated mining land as well as mining offset areas.Anglo American environmental manager Jason Fittler says the technology was helping his team better understand how biodiversity was returning to formerly mined areas.“Every plant, animal or insect leaves behind tiny fragments of DNA in water, soil or air,” he said.“By analysing those samples, we can build a detailed picture of what species are living in or moving through our rehabilitated sites.“At one site, we detected four species of fish, 13 species of birds and three mammals — all in a single sample without having to physically see them.”In some areas, environmental specialists were taking about 30 samples at a time on each mine site alongside traditional fauna and flora monitoring completed annually.“This method complements our traditional monitoring as we can detect a different range of plants and animals through DNA,” Mr Fittler said.“It’s a non-invasive, efficient and highly accurate way to measure environmental recovery.”The samples are analysed in laboratories where results are matched using national and international genetic databases to confirm species presence and help track biodiversity trends over time.EnviroDNA principal scientist Luke Noble says eDNA allows access to a broad slice of biodiversity — plants, fungi and animals — across marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments.“These generate thousands and thousands of biological indicators to track the restoration process, the condition of the soil and the condition of the broader ecosystem as it transitions back to a more natural state,” he said.“Environmental DNA is pretty much everywhere you look — you just need a method to concentrate it or access it in useful ways.“DNA is unlike other technologies because its power comes from being an indirect detection method. It tells you what has been at or near the site you sampled.“By building up a picture of detections through time, we can have much more confidence about what we’re seeing.“Air eDNA, which is in the research and development phase, is a super exciting new development. It has the potential to do for terrestrial environments what eDNA has already done for aquatic ecosystems.”This method is superior to conventional ecological monitoring which sometimes fails to record individual species if they are not observed during the survey period.“This approach not only reduces the need for disruptive monitoring techniques but also gives us richer insights into how ecosystems are recovering,” Mr Fittler said.“Through DNA sampling, we can detect plants and animals from microscopic skin flakes, a strand of fur, a feather fragment or even a microscopic piece of faeces.“We gather this DNA through soil and water sampling, but we can now also collect DNA through particles passing through the air using a suspended filter, similar to a Chux cleaning cloth in appearance.“When we set these up, we can detect gliders, koalas, bats, dogs, cows — just about anything that comes near the cloth.”This innovation is helping Anglo American deliver world-class environmental outcomes in its land rehabilitation journey.Mr Fittler says one of the most exciting findings so far was the discovery of fish in water ponds created above underground mine subsidence rehabilitation areas.“While the how remains a mystery, finding fish in the ponds we have created on subsided land shows just how incredible nature can be,” he said.Anglo American’s rehabilitation areas have been progressively restored to native vegetation, with eDNA data providing independent verification of ecological progress.“We’re using science to tell the story of nature’s comeback,” Mr Fittler said.“These results show life is returning, and thriving, in the places we once mined.”
