Sustainable Resources Engineering
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Development of Ethical Mining Technologies to Achieve Responsible Mineral Sourcing: The Future of Mining Development Enabled by Blockchain
Assistant Professor Okada of Hokkaido University, with support from the JST Sakura Science Program, will invite eight faculty members and students from Aksum University in Ethiopia. Using blockchain and GIS, they will examine new technological frameworks for ensuring transparency in responsible mineral sourcing and for environmentally conscious resource development through joint research, practical exercises, and presentations of results.
Sakura Science Exchange Program 2026.2.4~2026.2.18
Mussel Adhesive Protein-Assisted Magnetic Recovery of Microplastics from Aquatic Environments
Mussel adhesive proteins can adhere to a wide range of materials, from iron (inorganic) to plastic (organic). By taking advantage of this adhesive property, we can form a composite of microplastics and magnetic microparticles, which can be magnetically recovered from an aqueous solution with an efficiency greater than 99%.
Anju Pilakka Veedu, Kazunori Nakashima,* Takahiro Sato, Ami Sasabe, Keita Suzuki, Chikara Takano, and Satoru Kawasaki
Data-driven inverse mix design for sustainable alkali-activated materials
Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are promising alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), but standardized mix design approaches are limited. This study introduces a machine learning-based framework for inverse mix design of AAMs, predicting optimal mixes based on target properties and sustainability. The model considers eight key factors, including precursor reactivity, activator properties, and liquid-to-binder ratio.
K. Kong, Kiyofumi Kurumisawa, Chiharu Tokoro, Zhanzhao Li, and S. H. Chu
Journal of Sustainable Cement-Based Materials, Vol.13, pp.1857-1878