Precious metals continue to have economic and sociocultural importance, as their usage evolves and diversifies over time. Today, the industrial application of precious metals is increasing with the development of scientific and technological innovations. Especially, the biological cycling of these metals is receiving more and more attention, as the microbiota may be key to a range of issues regarding exploration, ore-processing and metallurgy, and the processing of electron waste. In this volume, we focus on enhancing the fundamental understanding of the biological processes that drive noble metal cycling and examine how this knowledge may be turned into biotechnolical applications.

Over the past 4 billion years, microorganisms have contributed to shaping the earth and making it more habitable for higher forms of life. They are remarkable in their metabolic diversity and their ability to harvest energy from oxidation and reduction reactions. Research on these microbiological processes has led to the newly evolving fields of geomicrobiology and biogeochemistry, linking the geosphere and the biosphere. This volume of the Soil Biology series provides an overview of the biogeochemical processes and the microorganisms involved, with an emphasis on the industrial applications. Topics treated include aspects such as bioremediation of contaminated environments, biomining, biotechnological applications of extremophiles, subsurface petroleum microbiology, enhanced oil recovery using microbes and their products, metal extraction from soil, soil elemental cycling and plant nutrition.

Encyclopedia of Geology, Second Edition presents in six volumes state-of-the-art reviews on the various aspects of geologic research, all of which have moved on considerably since the writing of the first edition. New areas of discussion include extinctions, origins of life, plate tectonics and its influence on faunal provinces, new types of mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, new methods of dating rocks, and geological processes. Users will find this to be a fundamental resource for teachers and students of geology, as well as researchers and non-geology professionals seeking up-to-date reviews of geologic research. Provides a comprehensive and accessible one-stop shop for information on the subject of geology, explaining methodologies and technical jargon used in the field Highlights connections between geology and other physical and biological sciences, tackling research problems that span multiple fields Fills a critical gap of information in a field that has seen significant progress in past years Presents an ideal reference for a wide range of scientists in earth and environmental areas of study

This Special Issue covers a broad range of topics related to the mineralogy of noble metals (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Rh, and Ru) and the occurrence, formation, and distribution of these elements in natural ore-forming systems. This collection of eleven research articles discusses various problems related to these topics. I hope this Special Issue will contribute to a better understanding of the genesis of gold, silver, and other noble metal deposits as well as the behavior of these elements in endogenic and supergene environments, and suggest ways forward to solving the problem of their full extraction from ores.

Gold occurs in many settings, but the dynamic nature of Earth’s crust means overlapping and overprinting deposit styles are common. Characterization of mineralization from an early stage becomes important, particularly where the mineralization is complex, in order to maximize exploration and project development success and mining productivity. Various techniques are used at different stages of a project to characterize gold deposits. This Special Publication offers a cross-section of some specific techniques used to investigate a variety of gold deposit types. The papers highlight both the breadth of the available techniques and their utility in deposit characterization, but also the many significant remaining questions and problems related to the exploration and research of gold deposits. Several papers include suggestions of avenues for fruitful further research, including a paper discussing a new approach to classifying orogenic gold deposits, and a paper describing archaeological applications of natural gold analyses.

There is considerable interest in pure and applied studies of extremophilic microorganisms, including those (acidophiles) that are active in low pH environments. As elsewhere in microbiology, this is a fast-developing field, and the proposed special issue of Frontiers highlights many of the more recent advances that have been made in this area. Authors from leading scientific groups located in North and South America, Australasia and Europe have contributed to this e-book, and the topics covered include advances in molecular, biochemical, biogeochemical and industrial aspects of acidophile microbiology.

Although many available metal recycling methods are simple and fast, they are also expensive and cause environmental pollution. Biohydrometallurgical processing of metals offers an alternative to overcome these issues, as the use of biological means not only helps to conserve dwindling ore resources but also fulfills the need for the unambiguous need to extract metals in nonpolluting, low-energy, and low-cost way. This book covers biohydrometallurgy and its application in the recovery of metals from secondary sources like wastes. It aims to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of different wastes for metal recovery and biological treatment methods that are both environmentally friendly and economically viable.

Better Understand the Connection between Microbiology and the Inorganic WorldMicrobiology for Minerals, Metals, Materials and the Environment links chemical, metallurgical, and other metal inherent systems with microbes, and analyzes the interdependence between them. Specifically intended to underscore the importance of microbes in environmental re

The interaction of microorganisms with geological activities results in processes influencing development of the Earth’s geo- and biospheres. In assessing these microbial functions, scientists have explored short- and longterm geological changes attributed to microorganisms and developed new approaches to evaluate the physiology of microbes including microbial interaction with the geological environment. As the field of geomicrobiology developed, it has become highly interdisciplinary and this book provides a review of the recent developments in a cross section of topics including origin of life, microbial-mineral interactions and microbial processes functioning in marine as well as terrestrial environments. A major component of this book addresses molecular techniques to evaluate microbial evolution and assess relationships of microbes in complex, natural c- munities. Recent developments in so-called ‘omics’ technologies, including (meta) genomics and (meta)proteomics, and isotope labeling methods allow new insights into the function of microbial community members and their possible geological impact. While this book summarizes current knowledge in various areas, it also reveals unresolved questions that require future investigations. Information in these chapters enhances our fundamental knowledge of geomicrobiology that contributes to the exploitation of microbial functions in mineral and environmental biotechn- ogy applications. It is our hope that this book will stimulate interest in the general field of geomicrobiology and encourage others to explore microbial processes as applied to the Earth.

Proper waste disposal is still a serious concern worldwide. This book addresses various types of wastes such as industrial, agricultural, and municipal solid and liquid wastes, their generation, and the status of waste management in developed and developing countries. It discusses advanced green technologies used in harnessing energy and bioproducts from wastes such as electricity, biofuel, biopolymers, fertilizers, and chemicals without damaging the quality of the environment but rather creating a source that is an added value to the environment. Through many applications and case studies, this comprehensive book helps readers build a state-of-the-art knowledge on waste utilization and energy generation. FEATURES Provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art coverage of waste management practices, their challenges, and solutions from a global perspective Discusses conceptual principles and practices of various green technologies that can be used to generate valuable products from waste and improve environmental quality Includes case studies from the United States and Japan, providing detailed explanations of advanced bioremediation technologies Takes a holistic approach to waste management and bioproducts recovery Offers an easy-to-understand and target-oriented approach that helps both students and professionals advance their knowledge in creating wealth from waste Written for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in environmental biotechnology, environmental microbiology, non-conventional energy sources, waste treatment technologies, environmental waste utilization, energy, and environment taught in universities and colleges. The book can also be used by professionals and researchers at different levels in related fields.