Can Microbes Solve the Copper Crisis? The Promise of Biomining

The world faces a looming copper shortage as demand for the metal surges, driven by the transition to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and power grid expansions. Copper is essential for these technologies, but mining companies are struggling to extract more of the metal profitably. Over the past few decades, finding and developing new copper deposits has become increasingly difficult and expensive, putting global supply on a collision course with growing electricity demand. In response, some companies are turning to biomining, a process that uses microbes to extract metals from ore. This technique could offer a more sustainable and cost-effective way to recover copper from low-grade deposits or waste materials. While still in its early stages, biomining has the potential to help meet the rising demand for copper and other critical metals. This Bloomberg Primer explores the challenges facing the copper industry and the innovative solutions that could reshape the future of metal extraction. From the science behind biomining to its economic viability, the video examines whether microbes can indeed solve the copper problem.