BIOLEACHING
CMAI is evaluating advanced biological metallurgy to unlock a diverse suite of critical minerals from polymetallic black shales of the SBH Project. By stepping away from conventional, high-impact smelting, we are advancing a more efficient, potentially lower-impact extraction method.
The Challenge: Polymetallic Black Shales
Black shales contain a broad spectrum of metals finely disseminated within complex clay or organic matter. This makes them historically difficult to process using traditional smelting methods.
The Solution: Biological Extraction
Bioleaching gradually mobilizes these metals through biological
and chemical reactions.
Operating at lower temperatures and pressures than traditional smelting, this method reduces energy demand and enables the recovery of multiple critical minerals from a single resource base.
Bioleaching at a glance
1.
THE CATALYST
Certain bacteria naturally catalyze chemical reactions that break down metal-bearing minerals.
2.
THE RELEASE
As these microbes oxidize sulfur and iron within the rock, valuable metals are released into a liquid solution.
3.
THE RECOVERY
The dissolved metals are then recovered through downstream hydrometallurgical processes.
SUSTAINABILITY
BENIFITS
Advancing sustainable mining through innovative, low-impact resource extraction.
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Requires significantly less energy than traditional high-temperature smelting processes.
MAXIMISES RESOURCE USE
Unlocks value from lower-grade ores that would otherwise go unused.
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE
Reduces the overall environmental footprint of metal extraction methods.