Biological and Bioelectrochemical Recovery of Critical and Scarce Metals

Metal-bearing solid and liquid wastes are increasingly considered as secondary sources of critical and scarce metals. Undoubtedly, microorganisms are a cost-effective resource for extracting and concentrating diffuse elements from secondary sources. Microbial biotechnology for extracting base metals from ores and treatment of metal-laden wastewaters has already been applied at full scale. By contrast, microbe–metal interactions in the recovery of scarce metals and a few critical metals have received attention, whereas the recovery of many others has been barely explored. Therefore, this article explores and details the potential application of microbial biotechnologies in the recovery of critical and scarce metals. In the past decade bioelectrochemical systems have emerged as a new technology platform for metal recovery coupled to the removal of organic matter.

TrendsOverview of potential applications of microorganisms in critical metal recovery.Engineering of microbe–metal interactions for recovering rare earth elements and platinum group metals.Reductive mineral dissolution is a new dimension to biomining.Bioelectrochemical systems offer a new technology platform in metal recovery.