{"id":182812,"date":"2026-10-27T07:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T06:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=182812"},"modified":"2026-10-20T13:20:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T11:20:44","slug":"startups-are-extracting-more-copper-using-microbes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/startups-are-extracting-more-copper-using-microbes\/","title":{"rendered":"Startups are extracting more copper using microbes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

The world has a copper<\/a> problem. The average ore quality is plummeting, more resources are being plowed into obtaining the same amount of metal and new mines take years to open because of the cost and regulatory hurdles. Yet companies need more of the commodity to power the accelerating electrical revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Endolith
Endolith pilot-scale copper microbes testing \u00a9Bloomberg<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt is essentially the metal that is underpinning this transition,\u201d said Kwasi<\/strong> Ampofo<\/strong>, head of metals and mining<\/a> research at BloombergNEF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric vehicles<\/a>, for example, require three to four times more copper<\/a> to build than their internal-combustion counterparts. Without a steady supply, Ampofo warned that the world will either slow its push to electrify transportation or pay a steep premium to achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2040, the world could face a copper<\/a> shortfall of 10-million metric tons, according to a report published in January by research firm S&P Global. That represents a 25% gap between the projected supply and demand, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottleneck is yielding innovative solutions. To extend the lifespan of one mine past its prime, Arizona<\/a>\u2019s Carlota mine<\/a>, its owner, KGHM Polska Miedz<\/a>, has recently recruited a group of unconventional miners. They arrived by the millions, transported in barrel-sized containers from a laboratory in Colorado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These miners are specialized microbes, acid-loving microorganisms that liberate copper<\/a> from ore by digesting surrounding iron and sulfur compounds. Endolith<\/a>, a Denver-based startup that supplies the microbes to KGHM, will continue to grow them in bioreactors onsite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the microbes are channeled into a sprinkler system to mix with sulfuric acid. That liquid then drips into vast heaps of crushed rocks \u2014 some as large as 10 sports stadiums \u2014 setting off a series of biochemical reactions in a process known as bioleaching<\/a> to release copper<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If all goes as planned, Endolith<\/a>\u2019s microbial miners will help squeeze more copper<\/a> out of the heaps and reduce the use of sulfuric acid at a time when the war in Iran has sent the feedstock\u2019s price sky-high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endolith<\/a>\u00a0is tight-lipped about its estimated additional\u00a0copper<\/a> output, saying that the experiment is still in its early days. But\u00a0Brock<\/strong>\u00a0Johnston<\/strong>, who manages\u00a0Carlota mine<\/a>\u00a0for KGHM, is already excited about the prospect of producing more with fewer chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny kind of improvement is beneficial,\u201d said Johnston. After years of continuous digging, Carlota now produces roughly a third of its peak volume. Unless something is done, the\u00a0mining<\/a> complex \u2014 which cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build \u2014 is set to shut down by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a world where copper<\/a> is critical for everything ranging from EVs to power grids and renewable energy<\/a> equipment<\/a> to artificial intelligence data centers, Johnston worries about the scheduled mine closure. \u201cI\u2019m concerned about how that is going to play out over time if we can\u2019t keep up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies big and small are scrambling for ways to extract more copper<\/a>. Jetti Resources<\/a>, another Colorado-based startup, develops proprietary chemical catalysts to help break down stubborn sulfide ore. In Missouri, Emerson Electric upgrades conventional heap leaching systems with smart sensors and automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Nuton<\/a>, a subsidiary of the British-Australian mining<\/a> titan Rio Tinto<\/a> Group, is creating its own microbial solution. Earlier this year, Rio Tinto<\/a> struck a deal to supply Amazon.com with copper<\/a> produced this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is so much more that could possibly be done,\u201d said Buz<\/strong>Barstow<\/strong>, an associate professor at the department of biological and environmental engineering at Cornell University. Next-generation<\/a> bioleaching<\/a>, according to him, has a long way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early forms of the technology were documented in China roughly 2 500 years ago, even though ancient scholars lacked the understanding of the underlying science. In the 1940s, American scientists identified specific rock-eating bacteria, laying the foundation for modern industrial bioleaching<\/a>, which now accounts for an estimated 20% of the world\u2019s mined copper<\/a>. But despite decades of incremental progress, legacy methods haven\u2019t fully unlocked the potential of microbes, leaving space for innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Endolith<\/a>\u2019s laboratory in Denver, scientists expose microbes to high temperatures, heavy acids and even toxic conditions, forcing these tiny creatures to adapt to the harsh environments similar to mining<\/a> sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe take microbes and we run them through a training camp,\u201d said Liz<\/strong> Dennett<\/strong>, the founder and CEO of Endolith<\/a> who likens the approach to preparing athletes ahead of the Olympics. By doing so, she said her team is able to get microbes \u201cin tip-top shape\u201d and enlist the \u201cright offensive line to go in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike traditional bioleaching<\/a> methods that rely on a single bacterial strain, Endolith<\/a> also cultivates diverse microbial communities, combining several or even dozens of distinct strains to ensure survival rates and better performance once deployed in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a mining<\/a> partner provides ore samples, scientists select several optimized microbial communities from Endolith<\/a>\u2019s reserve, inoculate them into glass tubes packed with the ground ore, and run tests that replicate the conditions of the client\u2019s leaching heaps. Over the next few months, the microbial groups compete to determine which yields the most copper<\/a>. In addition to measuring dissolved minerals, scientists there also slice open the tubes like hotdogs to assess what remains inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2023, Endolith<\/a> has raised about $23-million in venture investment from backers including Squadra Ventures, Draper Associates and Collaborative Fund. It has also partnered with industry heavyweights such as BHP Group and Rio Tinto<\/a> to evaluate its technology. Without giving estimates for specific projects, the company said its general goal is to extract at least an additional 10% of copper<\/a> from low-grade ore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The startup also aims to change how microbes are deployed in the field. Historically,\u00a0mining<\/a>\u00a0operators have treated\u00a0bioleaching<\/a> as a static process, simply sprinkling bacteria over heaps and stepping back. But as temperatures and acidity levels inside a heap shift constantly,\u00a0Endolith<\/a>\u00a0plans to monitor the activity and adjust its microbial cocktails to optimize extraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That ambition, however, has raised a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commercial leaching heap is an \u201cactive system with its own rules,\u201d said Jaeheon<\/strong> Lee<\/strong>, an associate professor specializing in bioleaching<\/a> at the Colorado School of Mines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cControlling a heap is almost impossible,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But scientists behind the latest bioleaching<\/a> push argue that recent technological breakthroughs set this era apart from past failed attempts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christine<\/strong> Green<\/strong>, Endolith<\/a>\u2019s vice president of technology and operations, experienced the limitations of legacy methods firsthand, as she conducted bioleaching<\/a> experiments for US mining<\/a> firm Freeport-McMoRan<\/a> in the 2000s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back then, Green tried but failed even to examine how microbes interacted with minerals deep within the heaps, let alone improve the process, she recalled. Today, advances in DNA sequencing and cloud computing have given her renewed hope of conquering the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where lab analyses once took months to complete, Green said the latest tools yield results within 24 hours. Moreover, AI allows scientists to process and analyze huge amounts of data more efficiently and faster. The resulting trove of new information is \u201cgoing to move the needle,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It remains to be seen whether Endolith<\/a> can deliver on that promise. Like many others on the quest to revolutionize bioleaching<\/a>, the startup is just starting to scale its technology from the lab to the industrial level. The true test will begin in the next few months as Endolith<\/a> launches its first field demonstration at a commercial-scale heap at the Carlota Mine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProving this works in the field is the inflection point,\u201d Dennett said. Unlike lab settings where everything is under control, open-air heap leaching exposes optimized microbes to the elements and operational surprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if the Carlota pilot succeeds, industry watchers say that\u00a0Endolith<\/a>\u00a0still has other hurdles to overcome before it can achieve wider adoption. As mineralogy, more chemistry and environmental microbiology vary from mountain to mountain, the startup must tailor its solution for each customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinding that magic bioleaching<\/a> process that is scalable from one mine to another is the gap that the industry is looking to fill,\u201d said Ampofo of BNEF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endolith<\/a> charges mining<\/a> operators a fee for its microbial solution and onsite monitoring service. While Dennett estimates that the startup\u2019s business model offers a financial payback period of less than a year, its economics remain unproven at scale. There is also a question of its environmental cost. Industry experts say that growing microbes in bioreactors to pull metal out of existing mines has a smaller carbon and ecological footprint than excavating new mines, but more studies are still needed to fully understand the impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in Arizona<\/a>, Johnston is eager to see if the microscopic workforce is able to give his field a new lease on life. If the pilot proves its value, he said KGHM will consider deploying the technology at more mines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once defined by risk aversion, the global mining<\/a> industry is being forced to adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething needs to change because we need these improvements,\u201d Johnston said, adding that technology can play a \u201cpretty substantial\u201d role in the future of copper<\/a> mining<\/a>. After all, \u201cthey really want to maximize what they can get,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world has a copper problem. The average ore quality is plummeting, more resources are being plowed into obtaining the same amount of metal and new mines take years to open because of the cost and regulatory hurdles. Yet companies need more of the commodity to power the accelerating electrical revolution. \u201cIt is essentially the metal that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":182826,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Copper is a vital metal for the energy transition, required for everything from electric cars to power grids and AI data centers \u2014 yet supply is being squeezed as aging mining operations begin to produce less","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[24550,13383,6843,28762,13909,26924],"supplier":[9175,24219,28761,28758,20262,6053,28757,28759,28760,23691],"class_list":["post-182812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-arteficialintelligence","tag-bacteria","tag-biochemicals","tag-bioleaching","tag-copper","tag-phytomining","supplier-amazon","supplier-bhp-group","supplier-bloombergnef","supplier-carlota-kghm-corporate-website","supplier-collaborative-fund","supplier-colorado-school-of-mines","supplier-endolith-mining","supplier-jetti-resources","supplier-nuton","supplier-rio-tinto"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182812"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":182850,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182812\/revisions\/182850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182812"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=182812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}