The Challenge
New, large ore deposits are getting harder to find and access, meaning lower quality sites must be utilized. Decreasing ore quality means higher costs and emissions per tonne. There are technological bottlenecks, meaning we are reaching the limits of existing physical and chemical processes.
In addition to environmental and technological limitations, government policies and social license are shifting towards more sustainable practices.
The Solution
Figure 1: Mechanism of action for bioleaching bacteria A. ferrooxidans.
Biomining (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.
~20% of the world’s copper is already being extracted with microbes such as A. ferrooxidans, a species of bacteria that has the ability to convert copper in ore into a more accessible water-soluble format.
Koonkie’s Approach
Koonkie designs and implements sampling strategies for identifying native bioleaching candidates through rapid and low-cost DNA barcoding, providing an inventory of site-resident bioleachers. However, organisms within the same species are not identical: different strains of the same bacteria can have significantly different nutrient sources and outputs.
Since microbes are too small to be seen by eye, it can be helpful to think in terms of dogs. From DNA barcoding, we can see that a dog (canis lupus) is present in an area. But without more detailed data identifying what specific breed (strain) they are, it would be impossible to tell if it is a chihuahua or husky. To get this additional level of actionable insights for bacteria and other microbes, a more in-depth analysis must be performed.
If you want to feed the dog to keep it healthy, it is impossible to know how much and what kind of food it needs if you don’t know which specific dog is in the area. For dogs and bioleachers, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of samples can provide this deeper level of insight. Koonkie can interpret this data to identify and encourage the growth of the most efficient local bioleachers to increase yield and quality of extracted metals such as copper.
Figure 2: Depiction of the level of insight that can be gained using DNA barcoding alone, along with the differences that exist between organisms belonging to the same species.
About Koonkie
Koonkie's team of biologists, bioinformaticians, and computer scientists have the highly-specific expertise required to create a sampling plan, identify the microbes present in these communities, and track changes in their composition over time. Koonkie uses DNA sequencing to decode which and how many microbes are present in specific samples, and what they can do in the environment. Utilizing this data, Koonkie can provide strategies to encourage the growth of key microbes.
Reach out to services@koonkie.com to schedule a consultation today.
Interested in learning more? Request a free download of our Microbes in Mining brochure!
