Systems and methods for em-assisted in-situ biomining

Abstract

Systems and methods for electromagnetic (EM)-assisted in-situ biomining are provided. A method for in-situ mining in a rock formation in an area of interest includes: receiving a first micro-organism from a micro-organism source at a first well extending downward from a ground surface in the area of interest, injecting the first micro-organism into a permeable layer of the rock formation via the first well to dissolve a target material to form a solution containing the first micro-organism and the target material, applying an electric field to the first micro-organism by the first well operating as a first electrode and a second well operating as a second electrode, such that the electric field stimulates activity of the first micro-organism, receiving the solution via the second well, and pumping the solution, via the second well, to a processing plant to separate the target material from the first micro-organism.

Images