Pathway to Phytotechnologies at the Montréal Botanical Garden : THE QUÉBEC MINING ASSOCIATION PROVIDES $100,000 IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT
21/06/2017
Québec City, June 21, 2017 – The Québec Mining Association (QMA) is proud to be present at the official launching of work on the Pathway to Phytotechnologies at the Montréal Botanical Garden, for which it has provided $100,000 in financial support.
As part of Space for Life, a participatory movement and a commitment to biodiversity, the pathway will offer six phytotechnological stations scattered throughout the Botanic Garden. An integrated education module will highlight the operations and advantages of phytotechnologies. Station 1, sponsored by various organizations including the QMA, focuses on wastewater management. Starting in 2017, visitors will be able to observe the ability of aquatic plants to purify water. Two filtering marshes will be created on either side of the existing garden to present and explain their purifying action; grey water from the Insectarium building will provide the incoming water requiring treatment.
"Mining companies must, before they obtain their operating permit and begin production, present a site rehabilitation plan that will be implemented once the mine reaches the end of its life. Plants are often used to restore mine tailings sites, but they could also be used for other purposes as part of the overall site rehabilitation work," says Josée Méthot, the QMA's president and CEO.
"At the QMA, we are aware that only a small percentage of the Québec population has any daily contact with mining. However, a recent survey we commissioned showed that Montréal is one of the regions that benefits the most from mining operations. To raise our profile in the larger cities and demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development, we have formed a partnership with Space for Life, giving the 800,000 visitors to the Botanical Garden a glimpse of some of the techniques used by the mining industry," Ms. Méthot concludes.
About the Québec Mining Association
The Québec Mining Association (QMA) was founded in 1936 and speaks proactively for mining companies involved in exploration, extraction and processing, mining contractors and junior mining companies, along with suppliers, institutions, non-profit organizations and other mining sector partners. It is proud of the 45,550 jobs and total expenditure of almost $6 billion generated by Québec's mining industry. The QMA’s mission is to promote, support and proactively develop a responsible, committed and innovative mining industry in Québec.