Biohydrometallurgy

Biohydrometallurgy is one of many different processes for metal recovery. As a highly interdisciplinary field, biohydrometallurgy combines microorganisms and their metabolites (-bio) in a mainly aquatic environment (-hydro) and the treatment of metal containing materials or solutions (-metallurgy) for metal production and treatment. It is applied to many different metal-rich materials from primary mineral sources, secondary mining products and numerous manufactured resources (Watling, 2015). Biohydrometallurgy is using biological tools for the processing of primary ores for many years – especially in case of bioleaching. Besides that, special biological tools can enhance the metal recovery from manufactured resources such as technical waste products, processing wastes, industrial waste waters and other secondary sources (Pollmann et al. 2018). In nature multiple processes exist that influence biogeochemical cycles of elements. These microorganism driven processes contribute to bioaccumulation, bio weathering, biomineralization and precipitation or microbial reduction. Using these bio-inspired processes promotes biological recycling strategies as well as several clean industrial processes, bio-based materials and bioremediation. Modern bio-based approaches that are currently being developed for the recycling of value elements found in technical products contributing to a “green” circular economy. Main processes in biohydrometallurgy are bioleaching, biosorption, bioflotation and bioreduction.