Microbial Interaction in Mining Soil

This chapter will review on the interaction of microorganisms in metalliferous environments which is an integral part of geomicrobiology. The microbial impact on the fate of minerals and geologically significant compounds of mining areas causes serious concerns in biogeochemical cycles. Metabolic processes of microorganisms are the cause for the dissolution of minerals, and especially pyrite oxidation results in the generation of acid mine drainage which, in turn, leads to heavy metal contamination as a result of mining activities. On the other hand, microbial metabolism can also contribute to the formation of certain ore deposits over geological time. Microbes occur in high numbers in soil, and due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, it is the negative net charge of the cell envelope that makes these organisms prone to accumulate metal cations from the environment. Microbes can potentially accumulate metals either by a metabolism-independent, passive or a metabolism-dependent, active process. The strongly interdisciplinary field of bio–geo interactions spanning from the microorganism to the mineral holds much promise for future developments in both basic research and applied sciences.