How Biomining has been Used to Recover Metals from Ores and Waste? A Review

Abstract

The recovery of metals present in low-grade ores and waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is essential for the development of new technologies and the supply of existing production chains. Conventional recovery processes are energy-intensive, non-selective towards some metals, and mostly they are not eco-friendly. Thus, biomining appears as an interesting alternative, because microorganisms are used to promote the bioleaching or bio-oxidation of metals present metal-rich materials under mild conditions of pressure and temperature. Biomining can be industrially applied, but it still needs some improvement such as diminishing the time required, the robustness and reliability of biological systems, and the optimization of process parameters. In this review, we present the current frontiers in biomining scale-up and some future perspectives, a brief discussion about microorganisms involved in the mining processes to several ores, and biochemical reaction mechanisms in bioleaching and bio-oxidation processes.