We are pleased to announce a School Seminar by Dr Carmen Falagan on the topic of: Those little miners - how we use microbes to extract metals.
Abstract
Bioleaching is the use of microorganisms for extraction of minerals. This technology was developed several decades ago and uses acidophilic (acid-loving) microorganisms. These microorganisms are adapted to extreme environments where metal concentrations are extremely high, and pH is lower than 3.0. They are currently used in bioleaching of low-grade ores at an industrial scale and are investigated for the bioleaching of mine wastes and electronic wastes. These materials typically have low concentration of metals and would otherwise end up in mine waste storage facilities, as metal extraction using conventional mining methods would be uneconomical. The use of microorganisms offers an economical alternative through a low-maintenance process, in which microorganisms are in charge of extracting metals. This approach reduces operational costs while also reducing the amount of mine waste generated, reducing the impact of mining in the environment. This talk will cover research focused on the bioleaching of a low-grade ore obtained from a mine in Finland as well as other types of mine wastes showing how microorganisms can help us to obtain metals from waste material. This presentation will also address challenges currently faced by the bioleaching community.
Bio
Carmen Falagan is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Microbiology at the University of Portsmouth. She obtained her BSc in Biology and her MSc in Oceanography. She holds a PhD on the Geomicrobiology of acidic metal-mine pit lakes and biotechnological applications. Since then, Carmen has been studying acidophilic microorganisms, their applications in bioleaching (using microorganisms to extract minerals), and their physiology. Her research also involves developing new bioleaching approaches to minimise the impact of mining on the environment. Carmen is also interested on studying the microbial interactions in acidic extreme environments such as metal-mine pit lakes, acid mine drainage, volcanic environments and the use of acidophiles for the bioremediation of metals.
Join the event online
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/330415361194064?p=96N0HoakgQxlzltsWq