Scientists in Australia have discovered that certain types of bacteria play a very important role in the formation of secondary gold grains (and helping to intitiate the precipitation of gold from solution).
Dr. Frank Reith analyzed bacteria found among the gold grains and in solutions from the Hit or Miss Mine in Queensland, Australia and discovered 30 unique species that were significantly different from bacteria found in the surrounding soil. When Dr. Reith placed one species of bacteria, Ralstonia metallidurans, in a petri dish, he was able to observe the gold precipitating from solution.
As the article notes, this may have some benefits to the mineral exploration industries since current models relating to gold deposits do not account for the precipitation of gold from a solution due to biological activity. Also, see this Science Daily article from May, 2002 about how bacteria could possibly be used to find gold deposits.
In other news relating to bacteria, geology and various elements, Science Daily is reporting on a new study by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that shows the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis is able to chemically modify uranium by covering it in a “special goo,” making it much safer to store. Rather interesting read.
Similar Posts on Geology News:
- A New Mineral: Lanthanio Dissakisite
- Large Amounts of Gold Buried Beneath Chilean Glaciers
- Rubies Found in Greenland
- Toxic Oceans on Early Earth
- Chile Approves Gold Mining Project
1 comment
Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Sandra Rodriguez
This has significant implications as to the very definition of life, of organic matter vs so-called inorganic matter…
ancient wisdom (American Indian, Tibetan,amongst others) always had it right. In the Book of Dzyan it is said:
From the bosom of the stone is vegetation born….
All right, the article is about gold being made by bacteria…but the wonderful transmutation from a live organic source to a supposedly inert material…underlines how truly full of life and intelligence rocks are…capable then of hosting bacteria and interacting in the origin of vegetation.