Manganese Bioleaching Using Kombucha-Derived SCOBY — 61p — Kevin Robles Lopez, Dr. Scott Beeler

The U.S. Department of the Interior has recognized manganese as a critical mineral of great importance, with most U.S. manganese imported from South Africa, Brazil, and Ukraine. With increasing demand for clean energy technologies, developing domestic extraction methods to reduce import dependency is very important. Bioleaching is one of the most promising alternatives to address this problem, offering a cost-effective solution that protects mining workers and the environment from harm and degradation. This extraction method uses microorganisms to extract metals from low-grade ores. The study examines how well the bioleaching extraction process works for manganese from ferromanganese nodules in the Pierre Shale near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The nodules contain about 16.7% manganese (Mn), and the study also looks at the potential of acetogenic bacteria in a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) cultured from commercial kombucha. Twelve different systems were tested, varying nodule size, stirring conditions, and media type. Results showed an extraction rate of 3.78% in seven days, with the condition of stirred fine nodules in tea kombucha showing the best performance and a peak extraction rate of 40.98% on the fourteenth day. Further optimization of acetic acid production, including temperature and nutrient availability, could improve leaching efficiencies and rates. 

South Dakota Mines
University of Arizona
Dr. Scott Beeler