INTRODUCTION

 Biotechnology is defined as “Any

technological application that uses
biological systems, living organisms, or
derivatives thereof, to make or modify
products or processes for specific use.”
 Biotechnology draws on the pure
biological sciences
(genetics, microbiology, animal cell
culture, molecular
biology, biochemistry, embryology, cell
biology)
 and in many instances it is also dependent on
knowledge and methods from outside the
sphere of biology ( chemical engineering,
bioprocess engineering, information
technology, biorobotics).
 Application of biotechnology in the field of
mining is a recent advancement. It includes
metal leaching, metal recovery, impurity
removal and product upgrading treatment of
acid rock drainage and other uses for
environmental control.
BIOMINING
 Biomining is a new approach to the extraction
of desired minerals from ores being explored
by the mining industry in the past few years.
 Microorganisms are used to leach out the
minerals, rather than the traditional methods of
extreme heat or toxic chemicals, which have a
deleterious effect on the environment.
 Biomining includes two different chemical
processes which are called as:-
1. Biooxidation
2. Bioleaching
BIO LEACHING
Bioleaching is the extraction of metals from
their ores through the use of living
organisms. Bioleaching is one of several
applications within bio hydrometallurgy and
several methods are used to
recover copper, zinc, lead, arsenic, antimon
y, nickel, molybdenum, gold, silver,
and cobalt.
BIO HYDROMETALLURGY:
 Bio hydrometallurgy can be defined as the field
of applications resulting from the control of
natural (biochemical) processes of interactions
between microbes and minerals to recover
valuable metals.
 The mining industry uses microorganisms and
their natural ability to digest, absorb, and change
the quality of different chemicals and metals, to
refine ores.
MICRO ORGANISMS IN BIO MINING

 There are different types of bacteria present in

nature that oxidize metal sulfides and soluble
minerals, thus, helping in their extraction from
the ores.
 It is very important to select suitable
microorganisms to ensure the success of bio
mining, a process which requires knowledge of
properties of microorganisms, both
physiological and biochemical.
 Bacteria are found to be the most suitable
microorganisms that can be used for extraction of
metals in bio-mining.
 Characteristics of the bacteria used in bio-mining:
a. Mineral extraction involves the production of
high temperatures so the bacteria should be able to
survive the heat, hence, they should be
thermophilic.
b. Bio-mining involves using strong acids and
alkalis, hence, bacteria should be chemophilic.
c. Bacteria should produce energy from inorganic
compounds, hence, should also be autotrophic
d. The bacteria should be able to adhere to the
solid surfaces or have the ability to
form biofilms. (A biofilm is an aggregate
of microorganisms in which cells adhere to
each other on a surface.)
THIOBACILLUS FERROOXIDANS
 Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is a chemophilic,
moderately thermophilic bacteria which can produce
energy from oxidation of inorganic compounds like
sulfur and iron. It is the most commonly used bacteria
in biomining.
 Several other bacteria such as T.thioxidans,
Thermothrix thiopara, Sulfolobusacidocaldarius and
S. brierleyi are also widely used to extract various
minerals.
 Thermothrix thiopara is an extremely
thermophilic bacteria that can survive very
high temperatures between 60-75C and is used
in extraction of sulfur.
 Techniques like genetic engineering and
conjugation are used to produce bacteria with
desired characteristics to increase the rate of
bio oxidation thus increasing the mineral yield
through biomining.
BIOMINING RECOVERY

Minerals are recovered from ores by

the microorganisms mainly by two
mechanisms:
a. Oxidation and
b. reduction
OXIDATION
 The microorganisms like T.ferroxidans and
T.thioxidans are used to release iron and sulfur
respectively. T.ferroxidans oxidize ferrous ion
to ferric ion.
4Fe++ + O2+ 4H+→ Fe++++ 2H2O
 The bacteria attach to the surface of the ore
and oxidize by
1. Direct method
2. Indirect method.
DIRECT METHOD
 In
this method the ore is oxidized by the
microorganisms due to the direct
contact with the compound.
2FeS2+ 7O2+ 2H2O → 2FeSO4+
2H2SO4
INDIRECT METHOD
 In this method the mineral is indirectly oxidized
by an agent that is produced by direct oxidation.
 Example, the ferric ion produced by the above
reaction is a powerful oxidizing agent and
can release sulfur from the metal sulfides. Thus
production of ferric ion indirectly causes oxidation
of metal sulfide resulting in the breaking of the
crystal lattice of the heavy metal sulfide and
separating the heavy metal and sulfur.
CuS + Fe+++→ Cu++ S + Fe++
REDUCTION
 Bacteria like Desulfovibro desulfuricans
play an active role in reduction of sulfates
which results in the formation of hydrogen
sulfides.
4H2 + H2SO4 → H2S + 4H2O
EXAMPLES OF BIOMINING:

 Biomining of Copper
Copper was the first metal extracted by
bioleaching. It is the metal most
commonly extracted from oxide
ores. Copper from low-grade ores
like copper sulfide minerals is most
commonly extracted by bio oxidation
since it is not economically viable to use
conventional metallurgical technique.
 Biomining of Gold
Bio oxidation of refractory gold ores to
extract gold is carried out by a commercial
procedure called BIOX developed by
GENCOR S.A Ltd Johannesburg South
Africa in an effort to replace existing
procedures which posed severe pollution
problems. The BIOX process had
several advantages over existing
procedures including lower cost.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
 Biomining is the sustainable,
biotechnological process utilizing
microorganisms to remove metals from
sulfide mineral ores and concentrates.
 Biomining has become one of the premier
mining technologies, and the
future appears bright. The potential
applications of biotechnology to mining
and processing are countless.