Researchers Isolate Copper- Extracting Bacteria

meckardt writes "Using biological processes to retrieve metals from a subtrate has been at best a topic of science fiction. However, in today's news a Japanese-Chilean research firm reported a breakthrough in developing new technology that uses bacteria to extract copper from poor quality mineral at a low cost."

Comments

Gold, silver, etc.?

[justanyone]

I don't suppose anyone is working on similar processes for Gold, Silver, and other precious metals?

Of course, having bacteria that handle any specific metals would be handy. As I remember, cadmium is used pretty heavily in chip fabs, and having a process to remediate it might be very nice for the environment near current and former fabs.

The important thing to me seems to be how the metals are accumulated. it does no good if a bacteria accumulates a metal if we cannot extract the bacteria from the water / substance afterwards...

-- Kevin J. Rice

This is Not New: Lots of Bacteria do this

[Salis]

There's quite a few species of bacteria that like to uptake metals and oxidize them for energy. In addition to copper, one major application is the absorption of heavy metals, such as uranium/etc, from the soil by bacteria. The bacteria are then much easier to remove from the soil than the heavy metals they absorbed.

Salis

Think bigger

[LuckyStarr]

This could be THE chance for bootstrapping an industry on extraterrestrial objects like the moon or the asteroids.

First isolate bacteria for extraction of other elements. If you have enough diversity take a small craft filled with bacteria and their life-support system which certainly isnt as big as one for humans. Then land the craft on the object and start mining and sorting out the elements.

Later send crafts to pick up that elements and produce something out of it. Perhaps first a larger scale mining operation, or a larger scale production facility.

Then construct all the other stuff. Dreaming... :)