Akara Unveils Three Innovation Models Using Mining Tailings to Transform Thai Industry

Akara Resources has partnered with three educational institutions—Chulalongkorn University, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, and Suranaree University of Technology—to present research on three prototype innovation projects that transform mining tailings from gold and silver production into "alternative resources." The initiative aims to convert production waste into upstream raw materials, reducing the need for new natural resources while creating real value for the construction, energy, and community enterprise sectors, and advancing a circular economy model.

Cheedsak Atthaoarun, General Manager of Sustainability at Akara Resources Public Company Limited, revealed that the company supports continuous collaborative research with educational institutions by opening mine sites for researchers to access and collect tailings samples for study and development into practical innovations for construction, energy, and community-level applications. This effort reflects Akara's commitment to system safety standards and Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) protocols.

The goal is to maximize the use of available resources. Partnering with these three institutions allows previously overlooked materials like mining tailings to be studied and developed into new alternatives for construction and energy sectors, while advancing community-level innovation adoption to create jobs, generate income, and improve economic opportunities for local residents, thereby reducing inequality and sustainably improving quality of life.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thidarath Bunsri, head of the Smart Biomaterials and Technology Research Group at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, developed the "biocement" innovation that combines mining tailings with industrial waste materials such as eggshells and microorganisms from fish sauce byproducts to create a future building material requiring minimal production energy. Unlike conventional cement, it requires no burning process and possesses special properties resistant to salt corrosion, addressing saline soil problems and capable of self-healing when cracks occur.

This innovation has been patented and is currently being applied as "salt-retarding panels" to assist farmers in Northeast Thailand. Trial results show it can increase rice yields by up to 53% in the first year compared to typical saline soil areas, while also increasing GABA levels in rice by over 300 times and reducing glycemic index by approximately 30%. This demonstrates the innovation's potential in linking environmental, health, and community economic dimensions, with plans to expand into full irrigation drainage systems through collaboration with the Irrigation Department in Uttaradit Province and the chartered gold mining operation.

Dr. Pete Homsuen, instructor in the Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Engineering, has researched mining tailings applications.