USING MIXED MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES TO SOLUBILIZE CRITICAL MATERIALS FROM ABANDONED MINE DRAINAGE REMEDIATION SYSTEMS

Abandoned coal mine drainage (AMD) can contain high levels of critical materials (CM), including rare earth elements. Several passive remediation systems for AMD in southwestern Pennsylvania precipitate CM in accessible locations. Microbial communities naturally occur within these systems and have the potential to resolubilize some elements relevant to industrial processes. We have characterized the CM levels in one of these systems using a variety of chemical analyses, including ICP-MS and ICP-OES. We have developed a lab-based system to evaluate re-solubilization of specific elements using either microbial communities, or isolated and characterized individual bacterial species. The mixed communities are being evaluated using bacterial 16S ribosomal gene analysis. Utilizing microbial communities to release industrially relevant elements can provide a valuable domestic supply for these critical materials, while using abandoned mine waste as a sustainable resource.