Big Sky Times

 A Montana State University chemist recently received an award for her research on extracting important and useful metals from pyrite, the mineral commonly known as fool's gold.   

Manjinder Kour, a researcher in MSU’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology in the College of Agriculture, received a PeerJ Award for best presentation at the international Triennial Congress of the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists in Vancouver, Canada. The awards, given to the top 10 research posters out of 500 presented, are selected by attendees of the conference. 

PeerJ, a publisher of seven peer-reviewed journals on topics ranging from environmental sciences to physical and organic chemistry, sponsors the award and provides opportunities for scientists to be published in one of the journals for free. Kour’s work also will be featured in an online article.  

“It feels exciting and so special that our work was recognized,” Kour said. “It’s wonderful to be selected by top scientists and researchers across the world.” 

At MSU, Kour works in the laboratory of Eric Boyd, professor of microbiology. The team is focused on understanding how microorganisms extract metals from pyrite, a process called biomining. Kour is examining reaction mechanisms and chemical transformations on a structural level. Certain microorganisms, called methanogens, can extract elements from pyrite and convert these into enzymes that generate methane and ammonia, explained Kour. During this process, the cells absorb high concentrations of metals, which could make extracting specific metals from the mineral more economically viable than with traditional mining practices that can generate acidic drainage.   

By using state-of-the-art imaging and computational approaches, Kour said she is developing atomic-scale structural models of pyrite, which hasn’t been done before. Those models will help the team explore what happens to pyrite on a chemical level during biomining, information they hope could improve the efficiency of the process.  

Identifying how these microorganisms interact with pyrite during this process could be a major step forward not only for sustainably mining important metals but also in renewable energy and technology, she said. Pyrite is a source of many metals, including nickel, molybdenum and cobalt — all critical components of many sustainable technologies, such as wind turbines and solar panels. The elements are also used in the circuitry of computers, lithium-ion batteries and cellphones, Kour said.  

“Through completion of this work, we could be in a better position to control the biomining process and trick these methanogens into concentrating specific metals,” she said. 

The work could influence future pyrite biomining methods and enable more cost-effective solutions of metal recovery, Kour said, adding that pyrite is abundant in Montana, so microbial biomining practices could contribute to the state’s mining industry.  

“I am excited to work on chemistry projects with real-world applications,” Kour said. “This new method has the potential to be more cost-effective, more economical and environmentally friendly.” 

Original source can be found here.