University of Queensland Engineers Super Fungi to Recover Critical Minerals

Researchers at The University of Queensland (UQ) have developed engineered “super fungi” that can recover valuable critical minerals from mining waste while helping clean up contaminated sites. The fungi offer a greener alternative to conventional mineral extraction methods, which often rely on costly acids and solvents that can harm the environment. The technology is being developed at the university's Biosustainability Hub.

The research team engineered naturally occurring fungi to produce organic acids that break down waste material and release trapped minerals through a process called adaptive laboratory evolution. According to the researchers, the process has shown promise in recovering valuable critical minerals such as vanadium and scandium, which are widely used in electronics and microchips. The engineered fungi are grown in bioreactors, where they combine with mining waste and feedstock.

The findings suggest that the engineered fungi could provide a cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to recover minerals from mining waste. “In the future, it's hoped we could deploy these fungi directly at mine sites, recovering minerals while helping remediate the land at the same time,” said Dr. Denys Villa-Gomez, a senior lecturer at UQ's School of Civil Engineering.

For more information, read the article from The University of Queensland.