Asian Journal of Research in Chemistry

This article conducts a comprehensive study about how microbial gold recovery constitutes a sustainable alternative over expensive traditional extraction systems. Bioleaching involves bacteria such as Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus spp. and fungi such as Aspergillus niger for dissolving gold through mechanisms which include biooxidation using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and biocyanidation through C. violaceum and organic acid production through fungal citric and oxalic acid production. The treatment methods show high performance when working with refractory gold ores and electronic waste by minimizing toxic byproducts and energy usage. The extraction process moves at a slow pace because it requires environmental conditions suitable for microbial activity and it generates harmful byproducts of cyanide among other things. Scientists plan to use genetics to boost microbial performance while nanotechnology will help extract gold nanoparticles better and they aim to create comprehensive biorefineries for extracting several metals from waste. Bioleaching stands as an environmentally friendly process which meets circular economy standards and should function as a primary sustainable mining method for upcoming years.