Contributed talks - Atlantic event

To be confirmed

The roles of biotechnologies in support of human exploration of celestial bodies have evolved from mere theoretical concepts to tangible realities, driven by the development of cutting-edge biotechnologies. Among these advancements, biomining has emerged as a promising alternative for on-site mining and resource extraction (ISRU) (Linne et al., 2017). Widely employed on Earth, this technology, known as biohydrometallurgy, utilizes single microorganisms or microbial consortia to extract resources from ores or mine waste, with minimal or limited human intervention (Habibi et al., 2020). While numerous microbial species on Earth are typically involved in such processes, specifically classified as iron-oxidizers, studies have demonstrated similar abilities in certain species of fungi and organisms not conventionally associated with extraction processes (Chaerun et al., 2017). Notably, Sphingomonas desiccabilis, a heterotrophic Gram-negative bacterium, has shown remarkable potential as a candidate for supporting space exploration (Santomartino et al., 2022). It has actively extracted industrially significant metals from basaltic rocks under both terrestrial conditions and microgravity environments, such as those found on the International Space Station (ISS) (Loudon et al., 2018). Here we present the results obtained from a ground-based biomining experiment using S. desiccabilis to extract precious and critical elements, such as Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Platinum Group Elements (PGEs), from seven different rocky substrates. Five of these were collected from Canadian mining sites known to contain PGEs, Icelandic basalt previously used on the ISS, and an eucrite, a type of meteorite whose origin is commonly attributed to Vesta, one of the biggest asteroids in the asteroid belt. Our results demonstrate the active extraction of metals of industrial interest from all the used substrates. Specifically we were able to extract Cr, Pd, Pt, U, V, Sc, Ge and other elements that can be used in-situ in space to support human settlement in a sustainable future on other celestial bodies.