University of Nottingham Institute for Policy and Engagement’s Post

In an era where sustainability is paramount, the recent study on Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans heralds a significant breakthrough in mining technologies. This pioneering research has successfully decoded the genome of this remarkable bacterium, shedding light on its unique metabolic processes. The implications of this are profound, paving the way for bioleaching technologies that promise to revolutionize the extraction of copper and other precious metals. By harnessing the natural abilities of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, we are now at the cusp of developing mining processes that are not only less harmful to our environment but also more efficient. This is a game-changer for the industry, moving us closer to achieving sustainable extraction methods that reduce pollution and minimize our ecological footprint. The findings underscore the incredible potential of microorganisms in transforming industrial applications and promoting environmental sustainability. As we delve further into the microbial universe, exploring and understanding more microbial species, it’s becoming increasingly evident that the journey towards a sustainable world will be forged through the smallest organisms on our planet. #SustainableMining #GreenTechnology #Bioleaching #EnvironmentalInnovation #MicrobialTech #ScienceForABetterTomorrow

🌐 Explore ICL's Exciting Challenge: Revolutionizing Carnallite Extraction from the Dead Sea! 🌊 Did you know that carnallite, a valuable mineral sourced from the Dead Sea, is traditionally extracted through a sequential evaporation process? As the concentrated water from the Dead Sea passes through evaporation ponds, carnallite precipitates at a certain concentration point. However, this conventional method has its limitations. The evaporation process falls short of extracting all the carnallite, and the extracted carnallite is often contaminated with co-precipitating minerals. That's why ICL is on the lookout for fresh perspectives! We're seeking a groundbreaking approach to carnallite extraction that outshines current methods in efficiency, free from reliance on the evaporation process. Can you envision an innovative solution that conquers these challenges? Join us in redefining the future of mineral extraction! 💡✨ https://bit.ly/3Tg62OZ

Microbes are the unsung heroes of the planet, and the superheroes we need to drive the energy transition. Why? Check out this most recent video to learn how Astrobiology, Astronomy, Geomicrobiology, biology, and mining come together to fuel sustainable impact. Also, I think #PurpleHairedSuperheros needs to be a new trending hashtag :D

European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) Vice-President Professor Lise Øvreås on the incredible findings of #polymetallicnodules producing #oxygen: "The implications of this discovery are #profound. They challenge assumptions that our planet's oxygen relies solely on photosynthesis and require further investigation. But more importantly, they come as another stark reminder that there is so much more we need to know about these ecosystems before exploiting them commercially should even be considered.” #StopDeepSeaMining #DEFENDtheDEEP

Turns out money does grow on trees. Well sort of, we backed a company called Genomines that genetically modifies plants to extract critical minerals out of the soil in a process called phytomining. Now they're on track to farm valuable metals cheaper than you can traditionally mine them. Nickel is the first resource they're tackling, a metal that's table stakes for the production of batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, and more. For a sense of scale, $40B worth of nickel will change hands globally this year, and we expect a 5X scale up in output over the coming decades as the energy transition inflects. Kudos goes to my partner Christina Chang who lived in the future before most of us did. Breakthroughs in synthetic biology have now made it possible to sequence a genome for <$1K and print DNA in a garage! Hacking plant genetics to produce this outcome now feels obvious, but she saw it first. Read on for a deep dive on Genomines. LFG Fabien Koutchekian and Dali Rashid, PhD. #tech #climatetech #deeptech #criticalminerals #syntheticbiology #phytomining

Excellent piece on marine bioprospecting and deep seabed mining risks

Hold your breath: There may be sources of oxygen that scientists have so far not accounted for. Groundbreaking new research suggests that oxygen is produced at the abyssal sea floor: in the complete absence of sunlight, without photosynthesis and by polymetallic nodules. Shaped like potatoes, the nodules have formed over millions of years through chemical processes. They contain minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper and manganese - metals which are in high demand for green technologies such as solar panels and EV batteries. Voltage readings on the surface of the nodules indicate they work like some kind of natural geobatteries, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. 💡 https://lnkd.in/d5M8b63h As the International Seabed Authority - Kingston is currently in session to decide on the future of deep-sea mining for these minerals, the new research supports the many scientists, including EASAC, and countries who are calling for a moratorium on any such activities. 🐙 https://lnkd.in/etiagySH EASAC Vice-President Professor Lise Øvreås comments: "The implications of this discovery are profound. They challenge assumptions that our planet's oxygen relies solely on photosynthesis and require further investigation. But more importantly, they come as another stark reminder that there is so much more we need to know about these ecosystems before exploiting them commercially should even be considered." #deepseamining #electrolysis #energytransition #oceanconservation #batteries #itsscience #scicomm Jeanne Everett BERTA MARTINEZ GARCIA Rudi Hielscher The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Austrian Academy of Sciences Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi Wim van Saarloos William Gillett Georg Bërveniku-Brunner Peter Haugan Kaja Lønne Fjærtoft Martin Webeler Blue Climate Initiative

Critical Raw Materials in Poland – recycling, anthropogenic resources and a new perspective of polymetallic ores as a chances Following my interest I’ve attended today artificial intelligence and critical raw materials sessions at European Economic Congress 2024. During the first one, representatives from EY, Google Cloud, Comarch, Digital University and PERN discussed if and how AI will enter the industry. The conclusion is a simple answer – AI is here and instead of fighting with these new tools like copilots and agents we should use them wisely. It could help both – cut the cost and increase effectiveness. In Four Point we are fully aware of these capabilities and what’s more we are developing tools tailored to the mineral exploration industry, so it is nice to see that we are ahead of this thinking. The next sessions were focused on the Critical Minerals and Transformation. It is noticeable that critical raw materials appeared in the agenda of this event as a separate important session. The panel was opened by prof. Jerzy Buzek who highlighted the importance of this topics in EU. He pointed out to the EU documents like current Critical Raw Materials Act and Net-Zero Industry Act which should be treated as a whole. Panelists prof. Herbert Wirth and prof. Galos discussed the potential of anthropogenic resources as a chance to “squeeze” more metals from our historical waste. Also, the potential might be in the copper and silver ores that should be rather treated as a polymetallic, so the accompanying metals that are not yet extracted could be considered. Prof. Szamałek highlighted the role of defining perspectives for the resources – one of the example is Balance of the Perspective Resources in Poland that is available online (for now only in Polish). One of the common conclusions was that there should be the same way of getting prospecting and exploration concession for every potential investor. It seems that realization of this postulate is one that may give a traction for a future mineral exploration works in Poland. From my perspective the industry needs more technology and especially more AI tools that could help to define new targets in geogenic deposits that consider metal equivalent consisting of all the extractable metals. Moreover, there is a huge potential in the exploration of anthropogenic deposits like I did mention in my posts about digital twin of tailing piles. #EEC2024 #mineralexploration #criticalawmaterials

🎧 Podcast Recommendation: 💡 Dive into the critical conversations surrounding transition minerals with Indigenous rights advocate Galina Angarova and environmental journalist Ian Morse on the latest episode of the Mongabay Newscast. 🌱 The episode explores social, human and environmental impacts of minerals and metals used in renewable energy technologies. ⬇ Click the link below to listen!  #TransitionMinerals #EnergyTransition #Podcast #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #CriticalMinerals 

How do microorganisms interact with minerals, and how can this be harnessed for the eco-friendly extraction of critical raw materials? And can these processes later be scaled to an economically viable level? A project by Cornell University may give answers. #criticalminerals #rawmaterials #bioengineering #sustainable