BIOMINING

1. Biomining is mineral processing with microbes. Biomining is the process of using microorganisms (microbes) to extract
metals of economic interest from rock ores or mine waste.

2. Biomining techniques may also be used to clean up sites that have been polluted with metals. Valuable metals are
commonly bound up in solid minerals.

The most common processes used in biomining are:

1. Heap leaching: freshly mined material is moved directly into heaps that are then bioleached.

2. Dump leaching: low-value ore or waste rock is placed in a sealed pit and then bioleached to remove
more of the valuable metals from the waste pile.

BIOMINING IN DELHI - dump sites at Okhla, Ghazipur, and Bhalswa.

Biomining will involve the use of separator machines or large sieves to separate waste material of different sizes, thereby
obtaining soil, plastic, wood and metal components in isolation for appropriate processing. Bioremediation involves use of
bio-culture or microorganisms to degrade organic waste.