Essential oil profiles of Lippia scaberrma Sond. from Highveld gold and uranium mines

摘要

Lippia scaberrima Sond. is an aromatic shrub of semi-arid, summer-rainfall grassland and occurs in the northern provinces of South Africa. The plant is a common natural coloniser of gold mine tailings and contaminated soils, and is one of a number of similar species that has been tested for use in tailings stabilisation. Mine rehabilitation strategies worldwide involve the use of native and locally tolerant plants. Where such plants have commercially valuable attributes, their use to stabilise contaminated soils and tailings also provides opportunities for local beneficiation and the development of new industries post-mining. The production of aromatic plants is considered a particularly safe option for mine waste since they are generally unpalatable to herbivores and the steam distillation methods used for essential oil isolation yield products free from metal and radioactive contaminants.