Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining

The demand for rare earth metals has never been higher, and with the need for sustainable mining practices defining the future of ore extraction, there is a pressing need for innovative solutions to combat the high cost and environmental toll of tapping an ever-shrinking supply.

One of the most effective innovations to meet these challenges involves studying the DNA left behind by microbes at mining sites. The unique organic footprint deposited by a microbial community can offer important clues to what minerals are buried beneath the soil, as well as the state of health of the site’s natural environment. Microbes can also be used as tools to suppress dust and recover metals buried in tailings ponds, significantly reducing the financial and environmental impact of ore extraction.

While microbes have been used in mining processes like bioleaching since the 1950s, advancements in microbial technology—especially DNA sequencing and bioinformatics—have opened up new possibilities. The Mining Microbiome Analytics Platform (M-MAP) is a cutting-edge tool developed in collaboration with BRIMM (Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining) and industry partners like Teck and Rio Tinto, empowering companies to identify, monitor, and optimize microbial processes at their sites, offering the potential to revolutionize the industry’s approach to efficiency, sustainability, and mineral recovery.

Aria Hahn, CEO and co-founder of Koonkie, helped create M-MAP with professor Steven Hallam, who had served as her PhD advisor at UBC. Hahn and Hallam recognized the potential of advanced genomic technology for addressing both environmental and health challenges, and in the pressing need for more efficient mining practices they found a community of changemakers. “The amazing thing about working with BRIMM is the networking and connections that they’re making,” Hahn explains. “You’re really working with people who want to build the mines of the future, and they want to do mining better.”

Unleashing Microbial Potential

M-MAP’s end-to-end approach includes everything from exploration to tailings management to environmental monitoring. By processing massive volumes of microbial data, the platform helps miners understand the biochemical processes taking place beneath their feet, giving them the data they need to unlock new methods to enhance mining operations. DNA sequencing reveals the roles that different microbial communities play in the environment, offering valuable insights into how these microbes can be leveraged to improve processes.

One major area where M-MAP can make an impact in dust management, a seemingly minor issue that can have a significant impact on mining operations. “Dust is a huge issue,” says Hahn. “There are mines that cannot operate because they cannot solve their dust problems.” M-MAP addresses this by studying microbes that form biofilms, which are natural crusts that prevent dust from becoming airborne. These microbial crusts offer a potential sustainable, low-cost alternative to traditional dust control methods, which are often expensive and environmentally damaging.

Microbes are also being used to breathe new life into long-abandoned mine sites. Many older sites contain waste material, or tailings, that were left behind because the metals were difficult or uneconomical to extract at the time. With advancements in microbial technology, these waste materials can now be re-mined to extract valuable metals. “Re-mining those waste materials with new methods makes environmental and economic sense,” Hahn notes. “And we can use microbes to do that.” This not only generates additional revenue for mining companies but also helps reduce the environmental footprint of past mining activities.

The Challenge of Sustainability

The pressure on the mining industry to adapt in the face of the climate crisis is intense. Critical minerals like copper, nickel, and cobalt are essential for producing batteries and other clean energy technologies, but their extraction must be done in a way that minimizes environmental impact. “We need to fundamentally change how we operate. And we can’t do that without these critical minerals,” says Hahn. “It’s on us to figure this out. And I do think there are people within the mining companies who are really trying to rise to that challenge.”

Already microbes are being used to process lower-grade ores, reducing the need for invasive extraction methods. Similarly, microbial solutions for tailings management are offering new ways to stabilize mining waste and prevent it from contaminating surrounding ecosystems.

At the heart of M-MAP’s potential is the incredible diversity of microbes found in mining environments. Microbial life on Earth is vast, largely undiscovered, and full of untapped potential. In some samples collected from mining sites, 80 percent of the microbes identified were brand new species—entirely novel to science. “There are more microbes on Earth than stars in the known universe,” Hahn explains. “So we are looking at an absolutely incredible diversity on our planet, and most of it is undiscovered.” 

The ability to identify new microbial species opens the door to potentially game-changing applications, not just in mining but in other industries as well. These microbes may hold the key to more efficient extraction methods, environmental remediation techniques, and even broader biotechnological applications.

The Future of Mining

As the demand for critical minerals grows, the role of microbes in mining will continue to expand. M-MAP is at the forefront of this shift, providing mining companies with the tools and data they need to integrate microbial processes into their operations, helping to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the mining sector.

Partnerships between industry leaders, research institutions, and organizations like BRIMM are essential to ensuring that innovations like M-MAP can be fully realized. These collaborations are not just about improving mining practices—they’re about creating a more sustainable, efficient, and environmentally responsible industry.

“We’re going to see microbes playing a much bigger role in how we extract minerals, how we treat water, and how we manage mining waste,” Hahn says. “This is just the beginning. We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible.”