Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 hr ago
Microbes may be moving uranium to the surface at an Australian mine
Researchers found unusually high concentrations of minerals near the surface of waste piles at Mount Painter, a closed mine in South Australia.
Rocks from the mine were sent to the United States in 1944 for Manhattan Project experiments, and the site closed in 1965.
Scientists suspect microbes are shifting uranium and rare earth elements through the waste, although further studies are needed to confirm this.
The team says these substances were found in the top 10 centimetres of the tailings as tiny particles.
Rain could carry the particles beyond the mine site, particularly during sudden storms and flash floods.
Uranium can harm people and other living things if they breathe in particles or drink contaminated water.
The findings raise questions about how mining waste is managed, as demand for uranium and other minerals is increasing; further research is needed to establish what is happening at Mount Painter.
Researchers say microbes may be moving uranium and rare earth elements to the surface of waste piles at the abandoned Mount Painter mine in South Australia.
A study found unexpectedly high concentrations of polymetallic nanoparticles in the top 10 centimetres of the tailings.
The researchers suggest microbes are transforming minerals into forms that could travel in rainwater, but further studies are needed to confirm their role.
The mine closed in 1965 and is now within Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
- Who
- Researchers studying tailings at Mount Painter; geoscientist Joël Brugger is quoted.
- What
- A study suggests microbes may be transporting and transforming uranium and rare earth elements in mine waste.
- When
- The site closed in 1965; the study was published in 2026.
- Where
- Mount Painter’s Number 6 Workings, in Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, South Australia.
- Why
- Researchers say microbes may be breaking down stable minerals and moving their elements into the surrounding environment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Rocks from the Mount Painter mine were sent to the United States for experiments as part of the Manhattan Project.
The Mount Painter mine closed.
A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials suggested microbes may be moving uranium and rare earth elements through the tailings.
- Mine
- Mount Painter, South Australia
- Study site
- Number 6 Workings
- Surface layer
- Top 10 centimetres of the tailings
- Closure
- 1965
- Protected area
- Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary
What people are saying
We have traditionally assumed that these toxic metals were securely locked away by nature in these arid environments, but these tiny organisms are proving us wrong
They are essentially acting as microscopic factories, breaking down stable minerals and mobilizing elements like uranium into the surrounding ecosystem.