McMaster to undertake oil sands research project

McMaster Univ has received $2.2 million to undertake an R&D project investigating the geochemical reactions stemming from bacterial sulfur reaction in composite tailings resulting from oil sands extraction. The composite tailings are high in alkalinity and salinity and very low in organic matter. The funding is being provided by Syncrude Canada Ltd ($1.14 million) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. The project team is led by Dr Lesley Warren and includes Dr Greg Slater, Dr Brian McGarry and up to 16 undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research technicians. Syncrude plans to use the resulting research in its pilot fen wetland and watershed as part of oil sands reclamation at a former mine near Fort McMurray....