BIOLEACHING
CMAI is advancing biological metallurgy to unlock a diverse suite of critical minerals and rare earth elements from polymetallic black shales of the SBH Project. By stepping away from conventional, high-impact smelting, CMAI can advance a more efficient, potentially lower-impact metal extraction method.
The Challenge: Polymetallic Black Shales
Black shales contain a broad spectrum of metals finely disseminated within complex clay or organic matter.
The Solution: Biological Extraction
Bioleaching mobilizes these metals through biological and chemical reactions.
​
Operating at lower temperatures and pressures than traditional smelting, this method reduces energy demand and enables the recovery of multiple critical minerals from a single resource base.
BIOLEACHING AT A GLANCE
1.
THE CATALYST
Certain bacteria naturally catalyze chemical reactions that break down metal-bearing minerals.
2.
As these microbes oxidize sulfur and iron within the rock, valuable metals are released into a liquid solution (leachate).
THE RELEASE
3.
THE RECOVERY
The dissolved metals are then recovered through downstream hydrometallurgical processes.
SUSTAINABILITY
BENEFITS
Advancing sustainable mining through innovative, low-impact resource extraction.
LOWER OPERATING COSTS
Eliminates expensive smelting and pressure-oxidation infrastructure, reducing capital and operating intensity.
PROCESSES LOW-GRADE ORES
Unlocks value from large, low-grade and polymetallic mineral resources.
MULTI-METAL RECOVERY
Recovers multiple metals simultaneously from a single biological extraction system.
LOWER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Avoids high-temperature smelting emissions and reduces industrial waste streams.
SCALABLE & MODULAR
Heap systems expand gradually, allowing staged development.