Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site asgb.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!asgb!devine
From: devine@asgb.UUCP (Robert J. Devine)
Newsgroups: net.bio
Subject: Re: Rumor about "germs" used for gold mining.
Message-ID: <813@asgb.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 8-Nov-85 14:25:29 EST
Article-I.D.: asgb.813
Posted: Fri Nov  8 14:25:29 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Nov-85 15:12:28 EST
References: <168@octopus.UUCP>
Organization: Burroughs Corp. ASG, Boulder Colo.
Lines: 24


  The Denver Post just recently (I believe it was last Sunday) had
an article on the person who proposes doing just that -- "mining"
for gold using a certain strain of bacteria.  This person has
a bacteria named after him (an honor, I suppose :-)) because he
was the one who isolated it from an environment that was thought
to be too hostile for any life.  The bacteria loves high temperature
and high acidity as long as there is metal around.

  From what I remember of the gold extraction process, a tailored
bacteria is applied to walls of mines that have had the all easily
mined gold removed.  The bacteria feeds on a binding material (sulfur ?)
releasing the gold.  To recover this freed gold, the walls are hosed
down and the washing processed.

  The guy also proposes using bacteria to recover the gold from 
jeweler washings and scrap.  He says he can now do it cheaper than
chemical recovery methods.

  If you want the man's name or just more information, send mail.
I'll dig up the article.

Bob Devine
(seismo!hao!asgb!devine   ||  sdcrdcf!bmcg!asgb!devine)