Biomining Although mining is one of humankind's oldest activities, the techniques used to extract minerals haven't changed substantially

for centuries. Ores are dug from the earth, crushed, then minerals such as copper and gold are extracted by extreme heat or toxic chemicals. The environmental and health effects of traditional mining technologies have been deleterious. In the past few years, the mining industry has been turning to a more efficient and environmentally salubrious method for extracting minerals from ores: microorganisms that leach them out. Using a bacterium such as Thiobacillus ferooxidans to leach copper from mine tailings has improved recovery rates and reduced operating costs. Moreover, it permits extraction from low grade ores - an important consideration in the face of the depletion of high grade ores. Thiobacillus ferooxidans, which is naturally present in certain sulfur-containing materials, gets energy by oxidizing inorganic materials, such as copper sulfide minerals. This process releases acid and an oxidizing solution of ferric ions, which can wash out metals from crude ore. Poor quality copper ore, which is bound up in a sulfide matrix, is dumped outside a mine and treated with sulfuric acid to encourage the growth of T. ferooxidans. As the bacteria chew up the ore, copper is released and collected in solution. The sulfuric acid is recycled. Currently 25% of all copper worldwide, worth more than $1 billion annually, is produced through bioprocessing. This ranks it as one of the most important applications of biotechnology today. Bioprocessing is also being used to economically extract gold from very low grade, sulfidic gold ores, once thought to be worthless. To increase the efficiency of biomining, the search is on for bacterial strains that are better suited to large-scale operations. Bioprocessing releases a great deal of heat, and this can slow down or kill the bacteria currently being used. Researchers are turning to heat-loving thermophilic bacteria found in hot springs and around oceanic vents to solve this problem. These bacteria thrive in temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius or higher and could function in a high temperature oxidative environment. Another effort is underway to find - or genetically engineer - bacterial strains that can stand up to heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, which poison microbes and slow the bioprocessing. Some microbes have enzymes that protect their basic activities from heavy metals or pump them out. If genes that protect microbes from heavy metals can be identified, resistant strains might be engineered. In any event, biomining is now at the top of mining technology, and future development of the technology appears promising. Bioremediation
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Bioremediation is the process of environmental biotechnology which uses microorganisms and fungi to clean the environment. Microorganisms such as bacteria play an important role in cleaning the environment. They digest the toxins released from various processes and this breakage of toxins is the usual part of their metabolic activity. These bacteria are present in such places where toxins are abundant and they cannot be removed through any other method. Toxins are just like their food and if bacteria do not get toxins in abundance they will probably die or diminish. Bacteria are also used to remove harmful substances from rivers and seas. Types of bioremediation:Bioremediation has three types and all the types are used to remove contamination from the toxic site or from rivers. The microorganisms which are useful for the bioremediation, take oxygen and other nutrients from soil that is why tiling of the land in places like sediments and sludge is necessary. Intrinsic Bioremediation:This process of bioremediation is also called as natural attenuation. It occurs in the soils and water which are contaminated with toxins. Microorganisms are involved in this type of bioremediation. Usually those contaminated sites are treated which are related with petroleum. As we all know that gas stations have underground tanks system which carries the petrol. If contamination or leakage occurs in these tanks then intrinsic bioremediation helps a lot. Microorganisms play an important role in this type and it is important to take precautionary measures so that the leaked oil does not affect the humans or does not cause pollution in the environment. Biostimultion:In this type of bioremediation, environment is modified by motivating the bacteria used for bioremediation. The experts release oxygen and other nutrients in the soil in which microorganisms are residing. These nutrients and oxygen are in the form of gas or liquid. Due to this the activity of the bacteria and other microorganisms flourishes and they remove contaminants from the environment or water more efficiently. Bioaugmentation:Sometimes microorganisms are needed to remove particular contaminants from the soil or water. Municipal waste water facilities use this type of bioremediation. This technique is not very successful because it is difficult for the scientists to control the growth of microorganisms for that particular contaminant.
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Role of Biotechnology in Bioremediation:Biotechnology plays a vital role in the process of bioremediation because it provides natural mechanisms for the removal of contaminants from the environment, from water and soil. Biotechnology mechanisms are applied to bioremediation when the contaminants are composed if industrial wastes. Scientists are making efforts to produce microorganisms through genetic engineering techniques which will have higher metabolic activities and will be able to digest chemicals more efficiently. In situ developments in the bioremediation processes are possibly less in cost and they do not effect the environment in a negative way.

Biotechnology is a much used in word in research submissions since it conjures up

images of research at the cutting edge of science. It also has an overtone of application, potentially patentable products or processes and therefore returns on investment. The promises have been much overrated in recent times and in general the promises for application from, for instance, recombinant DNA technology have failed to materialise in terms of animal production. In general, the results of recombinant DNA technology have been disappointing. For example transgenic animals have been produced but failure to control expression of the introduced genes has resulted in adverse effects often of a nature that horrifies animal welfare groups. This has been given bad press but it has highlighted the need to study the basic aspects of control of gene expression and cell physiology. This does not mean however, that the future for and importance of such work is debatable. In fact, the contrary is true, but it has indicated a major requirement for basic research to understand gene expression and that more time and funds will be needed before many new concepts can be applied. Biotechnology in the context of this report cannot be restricted to recombinant DNA technology. Biotechnology is in reality, a science of great antiquity having its origins in processes such as brewing and wine making. The broad definition used here is the application of biological organisms, systems or processes to production of animal products These include meat, milk, hides, wool or hair and draught power. In particular, biotechnology stresses the integration of microbiology, biochemistry and chemical and process engineering. It is always multi-disciplinary, and its strongest aspect is that it is directed to application. It usually requires disciplinary scientists working together and shepherded by person(s) with major integrative abilities. Young scientists (or disciplinarians) caught up in biotechnology and working in isolation often lose the direction for application or seek out compromise objectives to justify their approach which may or may not be rational. On the tour of institutions prior to the writing of this report, it was an observation that a number of young, newly trained (overseas) scientists in the less well developed countries, were still working in the area of their overseas training without true recognition of the potential application of their work. They were, thus, in some ways competing with their previous supervisors and are therefore unlikely to produce novel innovations. For the purposes of this report biotechnology research is regarded as a multi-level activity. In animal nutrition this includes research that aims to improve the efficiency of production through manipulation of: the feed base the animal's digestive system the animal's metabolism
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It must also consider the potential for augmenting the feed base with critically deficient nutrients that may be produced locally, particularly from non-conventional sources (e.g. production of protein meals from aquatic plants (algae) grown on biodigestor effluent). It must also consider the possibility of decreasing protein fermentability of plants consumed by ruminants by genetic engineering of plants and other techniques applied to the plant, the microbial digestion system and the animal. The narrower definition will be referred to here as the new biotechnology. This is defined as the application of recombinant DNA technology to the improvement of animal production through improving nutrition.

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http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BA/Biomining.php http://www.biotecharticles.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-greenhouse_effect http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090305203842AAGucJi

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