New research school: sustainable metal extraction from mining waste
Linnaeus University is starting a research school to develop biological methods for extracting valuable metals from mining waste, in collaboration with Luleå University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The Swedish Research Council is funding the program with SEK 35 million to recruit seven PhD students.
The mining and mineral industry accounts for about 4–7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while demand for metals continues to grow. Sweden’s long mining history has generated large amounts of solid and liquid residues potentially containing valuable metals. Recovering these can reduce environmental impact and strengthen Europe’s access to critical raw materials.
The research school BioGeoMetals – Biogeochemical Methods for Sustainable Metal Recovery will focus on so-called biomining and bioremediation, methods that use microorganisms to extract metals from mining waste – without relying on strong chemicals or high energy consumption.
"Traditional extraction methods are energy-intensive and often involve toxic chemicals. In contrast, using microorganisms to catalyze the dissolution of metals offer more sustainable alternatives at lower temperatures for metal extraction and recovery," says Mark Dopson, professor at the Department of Biology and Environmental Studies, Linnaeus University.
Seven interlinked PhD projects at Linnaeus University, Luleå University of Technology, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology will cover geochemical exploration, microbial bioprospecting, biomining processes, selective recovery of metals, controlled crystallization, bioremediation, and sustainability assessments.
"By combining the strengths of the three universities with industry needs in a joint research school, we can systematically investigate the mineral breakdown, metal recovery, and bioremediation for metal production and waste treatment" says Mark Dopson.
The graduate school is linked to two of Linnaeus University's most prominent research environments: Linnaeus University Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial model Systems (EEMiS) that studies ecological and evolutionary interactions, as well as the newly formed Centre for the Environment (CENWIN) that studies sustainable development through environmental science. Together, they provide access to advanced laboratories and expertise in microbiology, environmental chemistry, and ecosystem analysis.
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Biogeochemical Approaches to Sustainable Metal Recovery (BioGeoMetals) is led by Linnaeus University in collaboration with Luleå University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. It has been granted SEK 34,940,000 in funding from the Swedish Research Council for the next five years.