Geomicrobiology of a high saline mine tailings in the desert Atacama, Chile

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The geomicrobiology and microbial ecology of a high saline, sulfidic mine tailings deposit in the bay Bahía de Chañaral, Atacama desert, Chile shall be comprehensively investigated. A depth dependent quantitative microbial community analysis for five sampling sites using catalyzed reporter deposition - fluorescence in situ hybridisation (CARD – FISH) and quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) aims to understand the biogeochemical interactions during Fe(II)- and sulfuroxidation and Fe(III)- and sulfate-reduction at high salinity in arid climate. The depth dependent analysis of the microbial diversity using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and subsequent sequencing of 16S rRNA genes aims to identify the relevant microorganisms in the high saline mine tailings. To enable biomining with water of high salinity, enrichments and isolates of halotolerant Fe(II)-oxidizing microorganisms from the tailings will be analysed and applied in bioleaching experiments with pyrite and chalcopyrite at varying salt concentrations.