EB to improve bioleaching

Humans are rapidly exhausting the finite resources of the planet, so it is urgent to develop more effective and resource-saving processes, including for metals extraction.

In Germany, the “BioIntElekt” project aims at extracting metals with the help of bacteria. For this purpose, our member Fraunhofer FEP is working on the development of a new process to increase microbial ore leaching (bioleaching). The first results have been encouraging as they suggest that the interaction between electrons and bacteria can lead to stimulation.With the existing know-how in electron beam technology and the development of suitable hardware systems at the institute, work is underway on a laboratory demonstrator for the electron treatment of liquids in a bioreactor integrating an electron beam source.

For more information see Fraunhofer FEP press release.

Photo credit: Fraunhofer