Copper is used in smartphones, electric cars and heating systems. But the mines are getting emptier, the ores poorer. Many easily accessible ore deposits have already been tapped, and new deposits often contain lower metal concentrations. Where will the metal of the future come from? Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP) in Dresden have a surprising answer: from waste - and with the help of bacteria.
The idea sounds unusual, but it works. Certain microorganisms can extract metals such as copper, indium or vanadium from ores and industrial waste. This process is called bioleaching. The bacteria eat their way through so-called metal sulphides, compounds in which metals are chemically bound. The process is considered to be particularly environmentally friendly because it does not require any toxic chemicals or climate-damaging emissions and uses significantly less energy than conventional smelting processes.
