A researcher from Laurentian University is preparing to initiate a study that involves utilizing honey bees to aid in environmental restoration efforts at the Côté Gold Mine near Gogama, Ontario. Mateus Pepinelli secured a $100,000 grant from IAMGOLD to collaborate on a two-year research initiative. The bees will be employed to gather environmental DNA from the regions being reforested near the mine site.
Describing the bees as research assistants, Pepinelli explained that they will gather data by collecting environmental DNA. During the upcoming summer, Pepinelli and a team from IAMGOLD will establish three apiaries in the vicinity of the mine’s remediation areas. Each apiary will be equipped with a small fan containing a filter designed to capture DNA that the bees bring into the hive from the environment.
Following this, Pepinelli and his students will retrieve the filters to extract the environmental DNA for laboratory analysis. The collected data will offer insights into various plant and microorganism species, including pathogens and unwanted elements like varroa mites.
Jessica Tratnik, IAMGOLD’s environmental and social governance lead at the Côté Gold Mine, highlighted the significance of using bee-derived data to monitor the progress of rehabilitation efforts. The information obtained from the bees will help identify any deficiencies in plant species abundance or pollination, aiding in making informed ecological decisions.
Graeme Jennings, IAMGOLD’s vice president of investor relations, emphasized the long-term sustainability of the Coté Gold Mine, which is anticipated to remain operational for over two decades. Tratnik emphasized the continuous nature of land rehabilitation efforts at the mine, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitoring and restoration activities to expedite the return of eco sites to their natural state.