Microbial Gold Mining: Bacteria Revolutionizing Metal Recovery

Bioleaching or biomining represents a revolutionary approach to metal extraction that employs specialized bacteria to recover valuable metals from sources traditional mining would consider unfeasible. Recent breakthroughs include a bacterial consortium achieving over 92% gold recovery from e-waste without toxic chemicals. Unlike conventional mining, which causes extensive environmental damage through land disruption, water consumption, and hazardous waste, bioleaching operates in contained environments with minimal chemical inputs and up to 40% less energy. The technology has evolved from a scientific curiosity in the 1950s to commercial applications worldwide, with chemolithotrophic bacteria like Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans thriving in highly acidic environments to dissolve metals from their matrices. This microbial mining revolution is scaling up globally, with major facilities in Finland and China, offering environmental benefits and potentially reshaping global resource politics by allowing countries to develop domestic metal recovery capabilities independent of traditional geological constraints.

https://www.ihadnoclue.com/article/1100449280764936193