Is biomining a feasible solution for E-waste management?

With global growth in electronic waste (e-waste) at staggering rates, traditional methods of recycling pose significant health and ecological risks due to the use of energy intensive process and hazardous chemicals used. The use of microorganisms to extract valuable metals from waste, called biomining, is a promising alternative to conventional e‐waste management practices. This study critically examined the feasibility of biomining as a sustainable alternative to recycling of e-waste. By comparing biomining with traditional methods, this study explored its environmental benefits, reduced chemical usage, and lower energy consumption, and its limitations, slower recovery rates and complex microbial processes. The study showed that biomining is most efficient when it is used to recover valuable metals such as gold and copper, but is less likely to be as efficient in the recovery of low-grade materials. In addition, it discussed the conditions under which it is conceivable that biomining is a sound solution and points out the importance of microbial optimization and appropriate economic and environmental conditions. Finally, the substantial areas for future research are presented, such as developing more efficient biomining processes, performing long term environmental impact assessment and life cycle analysis to assess the sustainability aspects of biomining as an e-waste management route.