Banana boom: Papyrus Australia creates mining blast collars out of plantation waste
In Australia, banana waste fiber is being repurposed into biodegradable blast collars for open-cut mining, a surface mining method where minerals are extracted by removing the soil, rock, and vegetation above a deposit. Blast collars prevent the drill‑hole collar from collapsing and stop loose material from falling into the hole.
Dubbed Collar Keeper, its manufacturer Papyrus Australia has already signed an A$4.2 million (US$3 million) supply deal with TBS Mining Solutions. Papyrus Australia has also secured a A$250,000 matched-funding grant under the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Programme.
“The Biodegradable Collar Keeper will be manufactured using our proprietary technology, which is designed for low-impact conversion of the plantation waste material into a valuable fiber resource,” Papyrus Australia CEO Daniel Schmidt told Mining Technology. “For the banana industry, Papyrus Australia also represents a viable opportunity to help the industry utilize its plantation waste.”
Category: Chemicals & Materials
