§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Industry what support he is giving to microbe mining research; and what steps he is taking to ensure the 16W British mining industry is at the forefront of this technology.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe Warren Spring Laboratory—WSL—of the Department of Industry has a team working on the use of microbes in the mining industry. Work is carried out for the Department, for the Department of the Environment, the EEC, and industry on a repayment basis. The cost of the work funded by the Department is estimated to be £20,000 in the current year.
The British mining industry has access to all the expertise in this field which is available at WSL, and which is being continually strengthened by on-going work. Several companies have already taken advantage of this. For its part WSL is making known to a wider audience the resources it has available by publicising its activities in the technical press and participating in symposia.