Researchers Discovered Fungi That Can Metabolize Gold in 2019. They Could Become Crucial for Space Mining

In 2019, amid dangerous wildlife and gold mines in Boddington, south of Perth in Australia, researchers made a remarkable discovery. According to the team at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), certain strains of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum can extract gold from their environment. Notably, they can incorporate it into their structure, all while spreading faster than other strains.

This finding initially seemed like an idle curiosity. However, the situation has evolved in recent years.

Why is this such an odd discovery? “Fungi are well-known for playing an essential role in the degradation and recycling of organic materials, such as leaves and bark, as well as for the cycling of other metals, including aluminum, iron, manganese, and calcium,” CSIRO researcher Tsing Bohu said in 2019. So, why should gold be any different?

According to Bohu, “gold is so chemically inactive that this interaction is both unusual and surprising–it had to be seen to be believed.” And indeed, he witnessed it firsthand.

Bohu and his team published their findings in Nature Communications, marking the first solid evidence that fungi could have a significant role in the gold cycle within the Earth’s crust.

The “mushroom” that laid the golden eggs. The CSIRO research immediately caught the attention of the mining industry, particularly in Australia. As the world’s second-largest gold producer, the country faces a looming challenge. Analysts agree that, without new deposits, production is likely to decline significantly in the near future.

Initially, the industry believed that the CSIRO research could help locate these new gold deposits. In Australia, it’s relatively common to prospect in forests of the Eucalyptus family or near thermal areas, given that they’re closely associated with the precious metal. So, why not analyze the soil for strains of Fusarium oxysporum?

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An intriguing possibility to consider. Several companies have emerged in recent years that operate in what’s known as “metabolic pathway mining.” This approach involves using living organisms to extract gold.

You might wonder, “What is the purpose of this? Isn’t it easier to pinpoint where the gold is and extract it with industrial methods?” While this is true on Earth, these companies are focusing their efforts beyond our planet. They’re looking at space mining.

For many years, the industry has fantasized about the possibility of exploiting mineral deposits in the Solar System. However, the challenges go beyond the current technological limitations. The risks associated with traditional mining are heightened when considering metal processing in space.

What about using metabolic pathway mining? Sending modified strains of fungi or other microorganisms to process gold could potentially simplify the mining process. While it may not be more feasible, it would likely be simpler.

Although this concept may sound unusual, this approach is used for many products you encounter in your daily lives. However, applying it to the mining sector appears to be more complex regarding pure efficiency.

Notably, with the era of inexpensive materials coming to an end, several research groups are currently cultivating microorganisms with the aim of producing gold sooner rather than later.

Image | Zlaťáky.cz

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