Biomining Microorganisms' Molecular Aspects and Applications in Biotechnology and Bioremediation

Abstract

The effective dissolution of metals is widely known with the help of microorganisms called bioleaching or biomining used for the extraction of metals from their ores. Usually the microorganisms involved in biomining are chemolithoautotrophic and extremophilic in nature, since they are living in highly acidic environments (pH 1-3.0) containing heavy concentrations of metals. The commonly found genera of archea are Sulfolobus, Acidianus, Metallosphaera, and Sulfurisphaera. Throughput microbial genomics and proteomics analysis provides novel insights of metabolism mechanisms of bioleaching microbes. These microbes are having significant impact on the bioremediation of acid mine drainage (AMD) resulted from many industrial operations. Using these microbes, various metals including Ni, Cd, Cu, Fe, As, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mn, Zn, etc. are removed from the environment. Biomining microorganisms are having significant applications in the biotechnological processes including extraction of gold from ores, extraction of nickel from low-grade sulfide ores, extraction of copper from chalcopyrite, etc.