Mine sites are naturally home to millions of microbes, some of which are primed to efficiently perform specific functions such as leaching copper, or suppressing dust under local conditions. Koonkie profiled hundreds of mine site samples at a Rio Tinto copper mine, and found 33 microbial candidates that exhibited promise for further biotechnological development in biomining and dust suppression. Read the case study here.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) for Biodiversity Assessments at Mine Sites
Microbes in Mining: Biomining and Beyond
Bioming (or bioleaching) is an established, eco-friendly approach to metal extraction that uses naturally occurring microbes. Instead of relying on energy-intensive smelting or harsh chemicals, biomining harnesses the power of bacteria to break down rock and release metals like copper, gold, nickel, and rare earth elements.




