The Integration of Hyperaccumulator Plants into Mine Rehabilitation in the Asia Pacific Region

The identification and use of hyperaccumulator plants in mining projects has been recognized as an important component of life of mine planning at several sites around the world. Mine planning that includes hyperaccumulator plants requires operators to maximize the biological resources of a site by discovering and utilizing these unusual plant species at the early stages of a mine’s development. These locally adapted hyperaccumulator species can then be used for rehabilitation in and around the mine area or be utilised for their potential to extract ecocatalysts and metals. These opportunities should be more widely explored so that these unique plants can become an integrated and valuable part of the mining process. This chapter concentrates on the experiences of integrating hyperaccumulating plants into mine rehabilitation projects in Indonesia and New Caledonia to highlight some of the opportunities and challenges encountered when attempting to incorporate these species into the mining cycle.