French researchers are using bacteria to 'mine' electronic waste
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File photo: CFP
A company in France is turning to an unlikely source to extract 'rare earth metals' from electronic waste – bacteria.
The Geological and Mining Research Bureau in Orleans (BRGM) is using bacteria to dissolve the minerals found in electronic waste so they can then be recycled.
This process requires less energy than more traditional ways of recycling electronics, which usually require high temperatures and pressure to dissolve the minerals.