Raman spectroscopy - casting (laser) light on microbe - mineral interactions


Raman spectroscopy - casting (laser) light on microbe - mineral interactions

Kostudis, S.; Bachmann, K.; Kutschke, S.; Pollmann, K.

Highly efficient and sustainable mining strategies gain importance due to the fact that available resources of base metals like copper but strategic elements such as gallium and molybdenum as well face a steadily decreasing grade. This issue is enhanced by the increased demand and production amounts of those metal compounds. Biohydrometallurgy – the use of microorganisms or related substances in metal extraction - provides the potential of processing low grade ores efficiently. Thus it is applied yet in some gold and uranium mining.
Also due to strategic reasons mining of regional resources such as the European Kupferschiefer come to the fore. Its complex composition including sulphide rich ores, carbonates and organic compounds challenges biotechnological approaches. Nevertheless promising approaches have been reported. We examine heterotrophic bioleaching of copper from Kupferschiefer ores. To investigate the interactions between mineral surface and microorganisms Raman spectroscopy offers a versatile applicability: Identification of minerals and differentiation of microorganisms is nicely provided and is accompanied by imaging opportunities in a two or even three dimensional manner. Thus biofilms, for example, can be analysed with respect to microbial diversity or preferences of minerals during the attaching process.

  • Poster
    Microbiology and Infection 2014, 05.-08.10.2014, Dresden, Deutschland

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-20866
Publ.-Id: 20866