Biological processing of precious metal ores
BRAIN AG and CyPlus GmbH develop disruptive technologies
BRAIN AG, Germany
The extraction of precious metals from the ores is based on the use of naturally occurring and enhanced microorganisms from the BRAIN BioArchives. During the ongoing collaboration, the partners very soon reached the goal of identifying a variety of microorganisms that, having highly specific adhesion effects, give the gold and silver-bearing minerals a new physical property. This effect can be exploited to separate gold or silver specifically from gangue and enrich it in an integrated process step.
“Our research aims at developing bio-based methods that could offer innovative and sustainable processes for green mining in global markets for ore processing,” says Stefan Welbers, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CyPlus GmbH. “For this reason we’ve continuously kept the technical requirements and structural conditions in mines in mind. In the foreseeable future, for example, we’ll be able to offer mine operators the possibility of integrating advanced biotechnological methods into their current processes without significant investment costs or delays in operation. In this way, we’re expanding our technology portfolio to include biological components for efficient and eco-friendly processing of precious metals.”Dr. Guido Meurer, member of the Management Board and Unit Head Producer Strain Development at BRAIN AG, says: “We’re delighted – and proud – that the BRAIN and CyPlus interdisciplinary team has succeeded in establishing a groundbreaking biological process for a new processing technology and developing it to high product maturity in just a few years. With our processes for Green Mining it will be possible in the future to exploit ore deposits containing precious metals even in regions where the conventional processes are out of the question. Green Mining is an increasingly important issue and an attractive field of business also in view of the increasing scarcity of raw materials.”
The partners have already filed a patent for the bio-based method, which describes the special microorganisms possessing selectively adhesive properties that can be used to enrich precious metals from ores.
Under the mining program, BRAIN is also researching into biological solutions for what is known as Urban Mining, where precious metals are obtained from side streams and waste streams such as slags, ashes, and electronic scrap.
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