Introduction
Genetically modified microorganisms are used in innovative mining methods to facilitate the process of mining and mining exploration , and in mineral processing. These microorganisms are used to improve biomining and bioremediation of acid mine drainage.
Biomining is a biotechnological approach in which microorganisms are used to recover metals from ores and waste materials. It is an emerging area in synthetic biology that can help address problems to improve industrial applications of biomining.
State-of-the-art tools for genetically modifying acidophilic microorganisms used in biomining are reviewed.
Genetically altered microorganisms are created by introducing a stronger protein into bacteria through biotechnology or genetic engineering to enhance the desired trait.
The development of high-throughput technologies for the cultivation and selection of Fe/S-oxidizing microbes will accelerate the engineering of strains with more desirable industrial properties, such as heavy metal tolerance and robustness under large bioreactor conditions.
However, the long-term effects of introducing genetically engineered microorganisms into the environment are not yet fully understood and require further research.
The advantages of using these microorganisms in mineral exploration
- Enhanced biomining and bioremediation of acid mine drainage
- Synthetic biology-assisted biomining is an emerging area in synthetic biology that can help address problems for better industrial biomining applications.
- Microbes may offer a broader solution space for engineering synthetic biomining pools with desirable leaching properties.
- The development of high-throughput technologies for the cultivation and detection of Fe/S oxidizing microbes will accelerate the engineering of strains with more desirable industrial properties, such as heavy metal tolerance, robustness under large bioreactor conditions.
- Genetically modified bacteria are used to produce large amounts of protein for industrial use.
Although significant advances have been made in the field of genetic modification and it has been shown that genetically altered microorganisms can have benefits in mining and bioremediation, it is important to consider the potential long-term environmental consequences.
Some of the possible long-term effects that require further investigation include
Impact on ecosystems:
There could be interactions with other species, changes in biodiversity and disturbances in natural cycles.
Gene transfer:
The possibility exists that genes could be transferred to other microorganisms or even to higher organisms through reproduction or genetic exchange. This could have unintended consequences and affect the genetic diversity and adaptability of natural populations.
Resistance and adaptation:
They could develop resistance to environmental conditions or treatments used in mining. This could hinder your control and have negative implications in the long term.
Persistence and dispersal:
Likewise, they could persist in the environment for long periods of time and disperse through different media, such as water, soil or air.
This could lead to the uncontrolled spread of genetically modified microorganisms and increase the risk of unintended impacts.
Genetically modified microorganisms can be used to extract a variety of metals and minerals from ores, tailings, and other low-grade sources. Some of the metals and minerals that can be extracted using genetically engineered microorganisms include:
- Metals in metallic mineral deposits that are used as structural raw materials.
- Copper, cobalt, gold and uranium
- Sulfide based raw materials
- heavy metals
Microorganisms instead of machines in mining
It refers to the use of microorganisms in mining and other industrial processes instead of heavy machinery and other conventional methods. Here are some examples of how microorganisms are used in various fields:
Researchers have developed a new mining technique that uses microorganisms to recover metals and store carbon in the tailings produced by mining. Biomining takes advantage of rock-consuming microorganisms to extract minerals.
The use of microorganisms has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of industrial processes, while increasing efficiency and sustainability.
Additionally, they recover metals in mining through a process called bioleaching, where microorganisms catalyze the extraction of metals and metalloids from ores or waste materials.
The following are some ways in which microorganisms recover metals in mining:
Acidophilic, chemolithotrophic, and iron and sulfur oxidizing microorganisms are generally used in processes to recover metals from certain types of copper, uranium, and other ores.
Likewise, iron and sulfur oxidizers are used for the recovery of metals from ores and their concentrates, including copper, cobalt, gold and uranium.
Soil microorganisms are closely involved in metal recovery through bioleaching and biosorption.
In addition, they recover metals in mining by catalyzing the extraction of metals and metalloids from ores or waste materials through bioleaching and biosorption. This process has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of mining activities while increasing efficiency and sustainability.
Valuable metals are often bound to solid minerals. Some microbes can oxidize these metals, allowing them to dissolve in water. This is the basic process behind most biomining, which is used for metals that can be more easily recovered when dissolved than from solid rock.
A different biomining technique, for metals that are not dissolved by microbes, uses microbes to break down surrounding minerals, making it easier to recover the metal of interest directly from the remaining rock.
Bioleaching and biooxidation are advanced and promising techniques in the mining industry, as they offer a more sustainable and efficient alternative for metal extraction.
These methods take advantage of the ability of microorganisms to catalyze chemical reactions and release metals from minerals, reducing the need to use toxic chemicals and minimizing environmental impact.
What are the environmental risks of biomining?
Most current operations of this technique employ natural microbial communities. Because these types of organisms are already common in the environment, the risks of releasing the microbes themselves into the local environment are considered relatively small.
The greatest environmental risks are related to the leakage and treatment of the metal-rich acid solution created by the microbes, which is similar to acid drainage from some abandoned mines. This risk can be managed by ensuring that biomining is carried out under controlled conditions with proper sealing and waste management protocols.
How common is biomining?
Biomining is currently a small part of the overall mining industry. It is most often used when the percentage of the desired metal in a rock is small, or to extract metals left over from waste rock after conventional mining.
In Chile, which currently produces a third of the world’s copper, many of the richest copper ores have already been mined. As a result, biomining is increasingly being used to extract deposits with low percentages of copper, and worldwide, 10-15% of copper is extracted by bioleaching.
Biomining is also important in the gold industry, where approximately 5% of the world’s gold is produced through biooxidation. As metal-rich ores are depleted around the world and with advances in microbial research and engineering, biomining may become more common in the future.
Bibliographic references.
1. Biomining: biotechnologies for extracting and recovering metals from ores and waste materials Current Opinion in Biotechnology
2. Copper bioleaching in Chile Minerals
3. Progress in bioleaching: applications of microbial processes by the minerals industries Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
4. Producing Copper Nature’s Way: Bioleaching Innovations
5. BIOMOre: Research on Future Mining BIOMOre 2017
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