In the mining industry, strategies that leverage microbial processes are increasingly attractive as sustainable and cost-effective methods for improving the recovery efficiency of precious metals from low grade ores and tailings. A similar approach can be used to recover minerals from waste streams generated by other industries, including coal ash from coal-fired power plants and produced water from oil and gas operations.
ISSUE: The United States’ critical minerals list includes minerals and rare earth elements (REE) that are essential to one or more modern technologies and are vulnerable to supply chain disruption. To safeguard the economic and national security of the United States, unconventional and secondary domestic sources of critical minerals are needed to decrease reliance on importing these resources.
IMPACT: Treatment processes that include the recovery of valuable minerals from waste streams and other alternative sources can reduce the costs and environmental risks associated with landfill disposal while providing a new revenue stream and domestic source for critical minerals. The United States Department of Energy estimates that over 15,500 metric tons of lithium could be recovered from the Permian Basin produced water each year, which could yield over $217 million yearly. Additionally, it is estimated that the value of extractable REEs in accessible coal ash in the US is ~$97 billion.
THREATS: If additional domestic sources of critical minerals aren’t identified and utilized, the United States is susceptible to supply disruptions that can threaten the economy, infrastructure, renewable energy, and national security.
PATH TO RESOLUTION: Microbially mediated critical mineral recovery can potentially be more economical, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly than highly engineered and solvent-heavy methods. Bioleaching is a targeted method for using microorganisms and their metabolites to solubilize desirable metals and enhance their extraction. Biosorption is another biological extraction solution that is beneficial for recovering REE from ores, tailings, and electronic wastes. Microbial Insights’ molecular biological tools can be employed to monitor and optimize the microbial consortia that facilitate primary ore processing, precision or multi-stage mineral recovery processes, water decontamination, and waste reuse.
