Oil sands tailings are the by-product of the extraction process used to separate the oil from sand and clay. For safety and regulatory purposes, these tailings are stored in massive dam and dyke systems called tailing ponds.

Managing tailing ponds safely and sustainably continues to be one of the biggest challenges of the oil sands. Tailing leaks can have disastrous consequences on the environment and local populations.

A team at NAIT’s Centre for Oil Sands Sustainability, led by Doctor Heather Kaminsky, is working on ways to transform these liquid tailing ponds into a manageable environment that would support plant growth.

We wade into all the ways they are looking to achieve their goal on this episode of The Curious President.

From India to NAIT: An international student’s pandemic journey to Canada

The Curious PresidentBy Curious PresidentNov 23, 2022