The Potential of Biotechnology in the Mining Industry

Abstract

Applications of biotechnology are in use or have been proposed for almost all sectors of the mining and minerals industries for metal extraction, metal recovery, and environmental control. A recently completed study in Canada reviewed the status of biotechnological process development in different sectors of the industry and by commodity. This paper provides an overview of the findings of the study including a discussion of the sectors of the industry in which biotechnology enjoys commercial success and those for which future applications are indicated. Special emphasis is given to the commercial metal extraction processes and to applications for environmental control for which future technical and economic advantages are likely as environmental regulations become more stringent.

Keywords:

• Biotechnology
• mining
• metal extraction
• environment
• economics