The global mining industry is at a crossroads, facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. As the world faces the urgent threat of climate change, the mining sector must transform itself to play a central role in achieving a sustainable future.
The imperative for a mental transformation to proactively address the climate challenge is indisputable. By adopting an innovative approach, MORFO accompanies the mining industry with a multi-stage soil and biodiversity restoration solution, based on a unique combination of forest engineering, computer vision and drones in tropical and subtropical zones. By thinking outside the box, the mining sector can become a driver of positive change.
Discover the 4 benefits of MORFO's ecological soil restoration for mining sites.
MORFO as a global partner for your forest restoration project
More than a simple technique, MORFO undertakes a genuine project for the complete and sustainable restoration of biodiversity, taking rigorous account of the environmental and social impact of its deployment. MORFO has already successfully piloted 20 projects in Latin America and Equatorial Africa. Its proven method is now ready to be deployed on your mining sites, according to their specificities, while optimizing your site closure plan.
Our commitment is demonstrated by our complete management of every stage of the project, which we will have custom-designed for you, as each mine has its own specific constraints. We oversee the entire process with discretion and efficiency. MORFO takes care of everything: from research, to our light logistics, which enable us to intervene with agility, to our forestry support.
MORFO restoration technology in 4 steps
1. Land diagnosis
Using drones, satellite imagery and field surveys, we analyze the biodiversity, soils, topography and water of the areas to be restored, reflecting their heterogeneity. This data, combined with our knowledge and expertise, enables us to draw up a detailed planting plan and make rehabilitation recommendations to our customer for optimum results.
2. Species selection and encapsulation
Species suitable for planting are selected, laboratory-tested and then collected by local communities. We plant an average of 20 species per project, and up to 80 species for certain biomes. Today, over 600 species have already been studied in our laboratories, which are all part of MORFO's species catalog.
We then encapsulate the selected seeds, taking care to provide the nutrients needed for long-term reforestation. These capsules, designed by MORFO, offer a number of advantages, including seed protection, soil re-enrichment and improved growth.
3. Planting by drone
MORFO uses drones to disperse our seed capsules on the land to be reforested. Our drones are capable of covering 20 to 50 hectares per day, while dispersing 180 capsules per minute. As well as being fast, they offer safety through their ability to access areas that are steep, inaccessible or dangerous for humans. They offer the power to plant at the most opportune moment, maximizing the chances of successful planting.
4. Ecological monitoring
We closely monitor our projects for at least 5 to 30 years. Growth is monitored via biomass, biodiversity and carbon stock using drone and satellite imagery. All data collected is processed and shared on a dashboard accessible online at any time by our customers and partners.
"We had no way of tracking restoration work transparently and qualitatively, MORFO's technology is a real step forward." - ONF/DGTM
MORFO offers unique transparency in the monitoring of your project
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. We carry out our forest restoration projects hand-in-hand with our customers, offering them a central role in their follow-up.
We highlight our results and maintain constant monitoring of our activities, accessible at all times on our online dashboard. Thanks to our comprehensive dashboard, it is possible to access the diagnoses made by our teams in the field before, during and after our operations on a single platform. Images, maps and key figures make it easy to see how projects are progressing. Project progress and data are visible and directly downloadable via the dashboard.
The MORFO dashboard provides access to :
- Data from diagnosis: soil distribution, erosion, soil analysis, etc.
- Reforestation monitoring: forest cover, biomass growth, biodiversity index, etc.
- Carbon tracking: carbon stock, carbon credits generated, etc.
All these data can be shared with the various stakeholders in your reforestation project: institutional partners, corporate team, other service providers, etc.
Today, we manage 1,200 hectares of restored forest land around the world, with our catalog of 600 different plant species. We have an impressive collection of over 300GB of field images from 20 different projects. MORFO's team of data scientists is essential, converting this vast amount of data into visualizations and figures that are easy for everyone to understand.
In addition, regular meetings are held between our customers and their dedicated account manager. He or she is available at all times to answer questions and help with project follow-up.
"This follow-up, quality and transparency are totally in line with the expectations of the administrations on the one hand, and the miners on the other. It will make things much easier for everyone and allow us to move in the right direction." - Federation of Mining Operators of French Guiana
Safety is a top priority at MORFO
Safety is one of our top priorities, especially when it comes to mining sites.
The use of drones makes it possible to access remote, inaccessible or dangerous areas without endangering human health. As a result, 100% of mining land is eligible for our reforestation method.
Our teams are trained in current safety standards. In Brazil, for example, each project is the subject of a specific Risk Management Program (RMP). We then adapt our Occupational Health Medical Control Program (OHMCP) accordingly. Each employee undergoes an appropriate medical examination and is issued with an Occupational Health Attestation (OHA) according to the activities he or she is required to perform. On arrival of our teams on all our projects, on-site integration days are carried out, depending on the applicable customer policy.
"There are difficulties with implementation and access, difficulties with choosing the right time for planting. All these difficulties are resolved thanks to MORFO's technology." - Robin Duponnois, Research Director at IRD
MORFO's unrivalled restoration efficiency
The technology MORFO uses maximizes our efficiency thanks to its speed of execution and scientific precision.
Execution speed
We can plant up to 50 times faster than traditional methods, thanks to our technology, which speeds up our actions considerably. A drone can process up to 50 hectares per day, planting 180 capsules per minute, even on difficult terrain.
Our light logistics and discretion are our strengths. By deploying a small team in the field, we respect the sphere of existing mining operations.
"We have the guarantee of an operationally and biologically effective restoration, while justifying our efforts to administrations and other stakeholders." - French Guiana Mining Company
Scientific knowledge
Our team of forest engineers works in partnership with renowned laboratories (IRD, UFSCar, EMBRAPA, INRAe, etc.), enabling us to broaden our agronomic and botanical knowledge. Thanks to our partnerships, we benefit from over 10 years of research in microbiology. MORFO has a catalog of 300 local species, which we use to increase the success of revegetation in native ecosystems. We also have unrivalled knowledge of mining soils: presence of pollutants, soil topography, etc.
Our capsule technology has a laboratory survival rate of 80%. The advantages of this forestry technology are
- Complete protection for seeds in their early stages of development.
- An acceleration of biological symbioses with 2 effects: soil re-enrichment and growth increased by 15 to 30%.
- Grow your plants in a real-life environment, for a more resistant plant and constant growth
- Effective dispersion on all types of soil and slopes, to maximize planting.
Testimonial: Leading mining company
"We have neither the knowledge nor the personnel, let alone the monitoring tools, to carry out and justify our restoration. MORFO clearly solves this aspect."
Case Study: Crique Korossibo, French Guiana
Reforestation of an alluvial gold mine in northwestern French Guiana, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, accessible only by air, on a 30-hectare site rehabilitated the same year. Find out more about this project by clicking here.
Challenges
- Limiting erosion
- Restoring soil fertility
- Accelerate the natural regeneration of the harvested area, guaranteeing a high level of biodiversity and limiting invasive species.
Deployment
- 2 days on site with a team of 2 people, 1 drone, and a limited load to facilitate logistics.
- 15 species planted (100% local species)
Results (after one year)
- From 0.3 to 42% vegetation cover
Reaching our goals together
MORFO shares the same objectives with all its customers:
- Respect for local biodiversity: MORFO plants as many different local species as possible in each project.
- Overall positive impact: The aim of each project is not just to plant trees, but to restore a rich forest ecosystem over the long term.
- Cost-efficiency: The efficiency of our techniques enables us to achieve a faster, longer-lasting impact while reducing costs.
- Reliable partnership: We view every relationship as a long-term partnership based on trust.
- Social and environmental objectives: Optimize the achievement of your ESG objectives by actively engaging local communities. We can help you develop a strategy for adding value to forest resources that, while preserving the environment, generates long-term employment opportunities for local populations.
Find out more about ecological reclamation of mined soils with MORFO webinars
> Read the summary or watch the replay of MORFO's webinar on the current situation and innovative approaches to reforestation in the mining industry.
> Attend and participate in the next MORFO webinar entitled "How to find the best balance between quality and price in a forest restoration project" by clicking here.
