Scientists from the Quadram Institute have travelled to Washington DC to discuss how research into the ways bacteria interact with metals could help develop cleaner and more sustainable methods of recovering the critical minerals needed for future technologies.

Prof. Martin Warren, Group Leader at the Quadram Institute, attended a UK-US symposium on 5 June alongside Prof. Nick Le-Brun and Prof. Tom Clarke from the University of East Anglia.

The event brought together researchers, policymakers and industry experts to explore new approaches to securing supplies of critical minerals while reducing the environmental impacts associated with traditional mining.

Organised by the UK Science and Technology Network, the UKRI ELEMENTAL Hub, the US Department of Energy Critical Materials Innovation Hub, and the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, the meeting focused on how valuable materials could be recovered from waste streams and existing resources rather than relying solely on the extraction of new minerals from the ground.

“The ways in which bacteria acquire and process metals to support life can provide inspiration for new technologies to recover critical minerals more sustainably,” said Prof. Warren.

The visit formed part of a UK science delegation hosted by the British Embassy, bringing together leading researchers and policymakers from both countries to discuss opportunities for international collaboration and the role that biological science could play in building more resilient and sustainable supply chains.

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components of technologies including batteries, electronic devices and renewable energy systems, with global demand expected to increase significantly as countries work towards net-zero targets and expand low-carbon energy infrastructure.

However, conventional mining and processing methods can require large amounts of energy and water and can have substantial environmental impacts, prompting researchers to investigate alternative ways of sourcing and recovering these important materials.

One promising area of research involves harnessing the natural abilities of bacteria, which have evolved over billions of years to detect, capture and process trace amounts of metals from their surroundings in order to survive and grow.

Scientists are now investigating whether these highly specialised biological processes could be adapted to recover valuable metals from mining waste and other discarded materials, helping to reduce environmental impacts while making better use of resources that might otherwise be lost.

Known as biomining, this approach seeks to use biological systems to extract and recycle metals in a way that could complement existing recovery methods and support the transition to a more circular economy.

At the symposium, Prof. Warren highlighted how a greater understanding of the mechanisms bacteria use to handle metals could help inform the development of these emerging technologies, while also highlighting the importance of collaboration between UK and US researchers in accelerating progress in the field.

Using microbes to recover and recycle metals could ultimately provide a cleaner and more sustainable way to secure the materials needed for batteries, renewable energy technologies and other innovations that will be essential to achieving net-zero ambitions.