Northern Mine Remediation at the YukonU Research Centre is partnering with UArctic to create the first-ever international mine remediation seminar in the Yukon. This is sponsored by Frederik Paulsen through UArctic. UArctic also plays a a crucial role by participating in the planning committee. YukonU maintains organizational and hosting duties.  

This seminar will bring together leading experts from around the world to advance our knowledge and approaches to bioremediation at mine-impacted sites in the circumpolar Arctic. Increasing exploration and economic development in the world’s Arctic regions continues against a backdrop of growing attention on climate change, sustainability, and the critical importance of acknowledging Indigenous rights, governments, and ways of knowing. Advances in bioremediation in cold climates are a key part of this ecosystem; this gathering builds on UArctic’s reputation for northern leadership by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and identification of new approaches to research and innovation on this important topic. The seminar will pose the following key question to all participants:

  • What key innovations are required to advance bioremediation as a viable solution for mine-impacted sites in cold climates?
  • What are the barriers, and how can these be overcome?

There will be five key themes that will be covered in this seminar: 

  1. Mine revegetation in cold climates
  2. Bioremediation in cold climates
  3. Community engagement in mine remediation
  4. Innovation and research in bioremediation
  5. What does your North look like? 

Additionally, two tours will be part of this seminar. The first will be a campus tour of the Ayamdigut Campus of Yukon University to introduce our international colleagues to our place of work and study. The second tour will be a tour to the Arctic Chief Mine, which has been abandoned since the 1960s.

Project Team and Funders:

  • University of the Arctic
  • Dr. Guillaume Nielsen, Research Chair in Northern Mine Remediation, YukonU Research Centre
  • Dr. Bronwyn Hancock, Vice-Provost, Academic and Research, YukonU
  • Avery Zammit, Project Officer, Northern Mine Remediation, YukonU Research Centre

For more information about the Frederik Paulsen Seminar: Mine Bioremediation in the Arctic, please click here.

For the tentative schedule, please click here.

The Mine Bioremediation in the Arctic Seminar is part of a series of UArctic Seminars.