Geobiological gold cycling: Golden opportunities for the minerals industry

该项目旨在开发新的地质生物工具，用于黄金勘探和加工，这些工具植根于对地球生物黄金循环的基本理解。鉴于生产成本高昂，澳大利亚黄金行业的可持续性强烈依赖于创新。然而，在我们对生物(地质)化学金的分散和沉淀的基本理解中仍有许多空白。该项目旨在通过将细菌中黄金动员和抗药性的生化途径与其运输和生物矿化联系起来，来填补这些空白。这将使基于蛋白质的生物传感器、生物指示剂和纳米向量的发展成为可能。这些将支持勘探和生物堆积技术的发展，使采矿实践在经济上更可持续，在环境上更可行，例如提高次经济矿石的产量。

This project aims to develop new geobiological tools for gold exploration and processing that are rooted in a fundamental understanding of geobiological gold cycling. Given the high production costs, the sustainability of the Australian gold industry relies strongly on innovation. Yet, there are many gaps in our fundamental understanding of bio (geo)chemical gold dispersion and precipitation. This project aims to fill these gaps by linking biochemical pathways of gold mobilisation and resistance in bacteria to its transport and biomineralisation. This would enable the development of protein-based biosensors, bioindicators and nanovectors. These would support the development of exploration and bioaccumulation technologies that allow more economically sustainable and environmentally viable mining practices, such as enhancing production from subeconomic ore.