Microbes mine metals from batteries

Bacteria can extract lithium, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals from batteries and e-waste.

Some bacteria have been proven to synthesize metal nanoparticles from their surroundings, apparently as a detox method to protect themselves from poisoning – and a team at the University of Edinburgh aims to use them to extract lithium, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals from old batteries and e-wast...