The Environmental Geochemistry Group at the University of Saskatchewan is led by Dr. Matthew Lindsay, who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and the NSERC/Syncrude Industrial Research Chair in Mine Closure Geochemistry. Our research is focused on understanding biogeochemical controls on water quality within geohydrologic systems. More specifically, we study how complex interactions among chemical, biological and physical process influence element mobility within groundwater and surface water systems. Much of our research is aimed at constraining relationships between minerals, metal(loid)s, and the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and iron. We generally study these processes under redox-dynamic conditions within mining environments and other industrial settings. The overall objective of our work is to reduce impacts of resource extraction and industrial activities on water resources.
News
22-Feb-15: Dr. Lindsay will be co-chairing a session with Dr. Karen Hudson-Edwards on mine wastes at the Goldschmidt 2015 meeting in Prague this summer. Details can be found here.
7-Feb-15: Two new papers on sulfide mine tailings have been accepted for publication in Applied Geochemistry. See Publications for details.
14-Oct-14: Dr. Lindsay is co-chairing a session at the 2014 Geological Society of America entitled "Mining and the environment: addressing common challenges faced across the mining industry". Follow links for information on the oral presentations and accompanying poster session.
30-Jun-14: Dr. Lindsay has been awarded the NSERC/Syncrude Industrial Research Chair in Mine Closure Geochemistry. More information on this Chair can be found here and here.
6-Jun-14: Dr. Lindsay will be giving a talk entitled "Bacteria-mineral interactions at sulfide surfaces in carbonate-bearing waste rock" next week at the 2014 Goldschmidt meeting. Details can be found here.
17-Apr-14: Dr. Lindsay has been awarded $74,000 from CFI for a project entitled "Portable Gas Chromatography to Support Biogeochemical Investigations of Closure Technologies for Oil Sands Mines".
21-Mar-14: New paper entitled "Acidic microenvironments in waste rock characterized by neutral drainage: Bacteria–mineral interactions at sulfide surfaces" published in open access journal Minerals. See publications for details.