Scope of bacterial concentration of gold in technogenic placers of upper priamurye

Abstract

At present, there is a reliable proof that microorganisms in rocks and soils can accumulate and crystallize gold. Earlier the authors have shown the mechanisms of biogenic mineralization of gold; however, a question consistently arose about the scope of the possible concentration of noble metals by the biomass of microorganisms. This work presents an estimate of the scope of gold concentration by the bacterial biomass in placer deposits based on the calculation of the number and the biomass of heterotrophic aerobic bacteria in soil and above-ore horizons and the determination of their activity of interaction with gold. The investigations were performed in Upper Priamurye by the example of the Aprelsk technogenic placer and, for comparison, in the oxidation zone of the Snezhinka ore occurrence.