A Bacteria Has Been Found To Produce Gold By Consuming Metals

Nature is something that can’t really be fought against or manipulated. Nature might seem twisted in various ways but it does have a strange way of always surprising us.

From microbes which are naturally destructive to man, to micro-organisms which are beneficial to man; and now to micro-organisms which can excrete “gold” – for man - after consuming metals.

Lolz…..yea, you read that line correctly.

A recently discovered bacteria, “Cupriavidus metallidurans”, is now known to excretes tiny gold nuggets, after consuming toxic metals.

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The discovery of this strange but natural phenomenon certainly shows that we are yet to fully grasp the entire science of our existence, and that of the flora and fauna in our ecosystem.

In various spheres of human relations, science and nature never ceases to baffle us, and our bewilderment of science, isn’t about to hit a ‘full-stop’.

The ability of a bacterium to consume toxic metals and excrete, thereafter, gold nuggets had never been quite understood before now, but researchers from Germany and Australia might have cracked the mystery and unique mechanism.

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Cupriavidus metallidurans

This strange bacterium, Cupriavidus metallidurans, is commonly found in soils having heavy metals, like gold (III) chloride which are highly toxic to most other micro-organisms present in the ecosystem.

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The Cupriavidus metallidurans possesses the ability to turn toxic compounds and metals into gold, and has also devised a defense mechanism that helps it to survive under various forms of toxic and heavy metals stress.

According to author of the study, Dietrich H. Nies says that;

"Apart from the toxic heavy metals, living conditions in these soils are not bad. There is enough hydrogen to conserve energy and nearly no competition. If an organism chooses to survive here, it has to find a way to protect itself from these toxic substances."

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How does “Cupriavidus metallidurans” perform its chemical stunt?

After lengthy research and study, German and Australian researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Adelaide respectively, have now figured out the mechanism behind the Cupriavidus metallidurans phenomenon.

Cupriavidus metallidurans according to the research requires copper to survive. The bacterium converts copper from its surroundings into a form which is easier to import or absorb.

It is not all plain and simple for the bacterium however, as copper is not the only metal present in the soil, and high levels of copper are quite toxic. The bacterium also imports Gold compounds into its body as well. However, this natural form of gold is toxic in nature. And when the gold nuggets are mixed with copper, it is even more potent.

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Dealing with high levels of copper and its toxicity

C. metallidurans needs copper to live, but excess of copper which is toxic is released by the bacterium using an enzyme known as CupA.

During the conversion procedure, if both gold and copper are released, the C. metallidurans bacteria switches off the CupA enzyme and activates a new enzyme, CopA.

It is this new enzyme that converts the gold and copper back to its original state, which rectifies the issue of gold compounds mixing it with copper to form a more potent and toxic compound.
Dietrich H. Nies further pointed out that the reversal of the process involving excess release of copper;

"This assures that fewer copper and gold compounds enter the cellular interior. The bacterium is poisoned less and the enzyme that pumps out the copper can dispose of the excess copper unimpeded. Another consequence: the gold compounds that are difficult to absorb transform in the outer area of the cell into harmless gold nuggets only a few nanometers in size."

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C. metallidurans bacteria boosting natures Gold deposits

The process of the bacteria C. metallidurans excreting gold, shows that it maybe be responsible for the Earth’s natural “secondary gold”.

The secondary gold refers to gold which is much younger in age, closer to the surface of the earth and in the form of gold nuggets; while “Primary gold” is the classification for ancient gold that was formed geologically

The occurrence of secondary gold in nugget form is closely associated with underground water which dissolves the primary gold and transports it upwards. Further action on the transported primary gold by the bacteria may result in tiny flakes of the primary gold which are then moved to the surface. At the surface, C. metallidurans further acts on the flakes of primary gold converting it to secondary gold.

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Conclusion

A bacterium which has the capability of producing gold by consuming toxic metals seems like a very twisted concept in the field of science. But if there’s one thing the world of science has continuously taught us, it is that anything and everything is practically and scientifically possible.

A further study of the cycle the C. metallidurans bacterium takes to execute its gold producing procedure could potentially aid scientists to exploit gold from ores which are less rich in gold, without the need for toxic chemicals such as mercury.

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Reference: r1, r2, r3, r4

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