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Project Topic
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This project is conceived as a need-driven-research, focused on the concept that waste can become a valuable resource, supplying metals that are extracted today by other processes, promoting recycling, minimizing harmful waste and hazard and dissipation. The selection of the target minerals/ metals in the project addresses the need for continuous supply of these in Europe for technology, anticipating a future cost effectiveness potential of the practical application of the expected research results. Innovative methods and processes for extracting even faint traces of these elements are the focus of the project. New characterized microorganisms with potential to be applied in biosolubilization, biomineralization and bioaccumulation will be obtained. The consortium will assess the microbial biodiversity in tailings where potentially critical high-tech metals may exist ( In, Ga, Te and W) but also relevant pollutants (As, Sb), located in different geological and climatic settings. Isolates will be tested in macrocosm conditions at the last part of the project. The ultimate focus will be to apply microorganisms in the extraction process through bioleaching and to recover the minerals from lixiviates by biomineralization and bioaccumulation. A comparative environmental risk assessment will be performed to residues produced by bioleaching with and without nanoparticles.
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Project Results
(after finalisation)
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The
cutting edge innovative approach of combining microorganisms having the potential to be
used in the extraction of metals, with methods (bio nano) to adsorb these metals was the aim of
BIOCriticalMetals The project, through the contact with stakeholders and industrial partners,
made available the methodology developed in the lab to the future exploitation of tailings where
potentially critical high tech metals exist and also to primary sources of these metals, boosting the
efficiency of existing mines and expanding the feasibility of the exploitation of small ore deposits
Project
BIOCriticalMetals
Recognition of microbial functional communities and assessment of the mineralizing potential (bioleaching)
for hightech critical metals
Definition
and characterization of the sample areas (WP 1 The objective was to sample and characterize mine waste
tailings at the chemical and microbiological level and isolate microorganisms from tungsten and massive sulfide deposits
from different climate contexts The mines selected in Portugal were Panasqueira mine (W and Sn, active, Beraltin&W and
Jales ( EDM), in Romania the mines suggested by National Agency for Mineral Resources ( and General
Direction for Mineral Resources and Sustainable Development of Industrial Zones Bălan (county Harghita Săsar Vechi
Bozânta Bloaja Vechi Leorda (county Maramureș Fagetul Ierii Baisoara (county Cluj), Fanate (county Bihor), Valea Sesei
(county Alba), Valea Mealu (county Hunedoara), Sasca Montana (county Caras Severin) and in Argentina La Carolina mine
The sediments from the target tailings were analysed by ICP and the microbiome of Panasqueira and La Carolina
determined by Illumina sequencing The bacterial isolates were included in UCCCB and NIRDBS culture collections The
deliverables 1 1 1 2 and 1 3 are included in the publications
Assessment
of the capability of microorganism for bioprocessing critical metals (WP 2 The objective was to assess the
bioleaching process using microorganisms to mobilize critical metals ( W indium, In gallium, Ga tellurium, Te
molybdenum, Mo) from mine waste tailings for further processing Isolates from Panasqueira and La Carolina mines
presenting a high tolerance to target metals were selected for bioleaching tests at a small scale The leaching conditions
were optimized by varying the pH, temperature and carbon source The effect of the presence of a biological consortium on
bioleaching ability was also evaluated The leachates were analyzed by ICP MS to quantify all the elements released and not
only the target metals (by products) Deliverables 2 1 and 2 2 were fulfilled identified 1 bacterial able to leach Ga
Rhodanobacter sp strain B 2 A 1 Ga 4 2 strains able to leach Te (Bacillus Paneabicillus 1 strain able to leach W (Bacillus
5 W 24 Siderophores ( were found to be the effector molecules for leaching in that strain (deliverable 2 3
Bioleaching at small scale was demonstrated except for Indium All results were presented in congresses as oral and poster
presentations The results are also included in publications
Bioaccumulation
strategies with bacteria for leachate treatment (WP 3 The objective was to screen metal resistance
microorganisms for their ability to accumulate specific metals ( In, Ga, Te and Mo) inside the cells and to characterize
their accumulative binding capacities Here was constructed a W hiperaccumulator EcotupW using the tup genetic
determinants from Sulfitobacter dubius EcotupW selectively accumulates W in the presence of Mo and Cr The Bacillus
mycoides AlJ 98 was showed the accumulate selectively Te in high amounts Tsukamurella strain B 2 A 2 0 5 Te 1 exhibited
accumulation of Ga Mycolicibacterium strain Jales 666 showed high accumulation of In The genome of the selected
organisms was sequenced and is available Deliverable 3 1 was achieved with the construction of a highly efficient W
accumulator EcotupW 3 2 bioaccumulators were achieved for W, Te Mo Deliverable 3 3 was achieved for W and Te
genetic determinants All results were presented at congresses and published in high impact journals
Development
of experimental reactors for selected cases focused on the use of microbial consortiums (WP 4 The
objective of this WP was to test, at different scales, a selected group of organisms and processes selected considering the
results of WP 3 The selected strains were used to leach the Panasqueira tailings and the Romania tailings from Bonzanta
and Fânate The upscale of the leaching experiments was performed with fix bead columns The bioleaching dynamic
showed that pore water had 10 x more metal concentration than percolating water The concept for biological extraction of
metals from tailings was proposed associating bioleaching and negative pressure extraction of the leachate The
deliverables 4 1 and 4 2 were presented at 2 congresses The concept for metal removal from sediments include
(deliverable 4 3 bioaugmentation with autochthonous microorganisms and negative pressure to obtain pore water
Assess
the wastes produced by bioleaching and mixed (bio nano) treatment (WP 5 The objective was to assess the
geochemical composition of the solid wastes obtained from WP 2 and the chemical composition of the leaching liquid from
the wastes produced after metal recovery in WP 3 XRD determined composition of the sediments after bioleaching were
obtained from Romanian mine sediments of Fânate The bioleachate composition of Panasqueira mine tailings using
different bacterial strains was determined by IP MS The leachates were rich in Cu and Zn and low in W The
characterization of the sediments and solutions after bioleaching (deliverables 5 1 and 5 2 were determined for all the
experiments and can be assess in a database The deliverable 5 3 was not achieved
Synthesis,
communication, coordination (WP 6 The objectives were to create the necessary governance structure for an
effective implementation and management All deliverables were achieved and we consider that at least in Portugal the
project had high impact in the company Beraltin All information is available at the Website
https :://www researchgate net/project/EU H 2020 ERA MIN 2 BIOCriticalMetals
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