About This Project

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are highly sought after for their powerful magnetic properties and energy efficient characteristics. REE's must be obtained from the ground in mineral deposits. Conventional methods use sulfuric acid to leach the metals into solution and errors may contribute to the 500,000 U.S abandoned mines. Our bio-mining research, aims to develop natural occurring microorganisms to bio-mine REE at circumneutral pH 5-8, in the Arctic and Space.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are used in major industries. For example, Gadolinium based MRI helps detect internal diseases, 920Lbs of REE are used to manufacture F-35 jets and REEs make up magnets in renewable energy devices. China , not the U.S, controls 80% of the world's available REE supply and this vast amount of REE's poses a national security risk to the U.S.

Conventional methods of acid mining extraction using sulfuric acid and cyanide to leach REE's poses an environmental hazard because once leaked into a watershed, the acid can further leach metal contaminants from rocks. Biomining research being conducted at the University of Alaska could provide sustainable REE biomining solutions for new REE mines on Earth.

What is the significance of this project?

Bio-mining Rare Earth Elements (REE) could help prevent future mine leaks by lessening the acids used in extraction and even aid in cleaning up the 550,000 U.S. abandoned mines; cost to clean these mines was estimated at $54 billion . The new 54 REE exploration projects are in the USA (Alaska), Canada and Greenland. Implementing biomining could make for a surgical-like approach to sustainable extractions in Arctic mines.

Regarding climate change, many new green devices such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, advanced computers, medical diagnostics and solar cells require REE components to function. The need for REEs are expected to increase and a sustainable environmentally friendly process to extract the REEs is needed.

What are the goals of the project?

The main goal of this research is to develop multiple bio-mining agents that can economically extract REE at circumneutral pH, operate within days and function in a wide temperature range. Current research has identified a microbe that can extract 60-80% of REE at circumneutral pH. Further research has optimized growth media, reduced process rates from 9 to 5 weeks, and increased extraction efficiencies now proceeding to bioreactor-factorial simulations.

While initial testing has been positive, process rates need to be reduced to days and additional microbes that can operate in a wide range of temperatures are needed for this biotechnology to be an economical alternative.