Innovative processing of platinum ores using biotechnological approaches

Duration: 09/2026–08/2029

Researcher: Amelie Barkentien, M.Sc.
+49 3731 39-2354
amelie [dot] barkentien [at] bio [dot] tu-freiberg [dot] de

With the increasing complexity of technologies, e.g. in the context of energy transition and digitalization, the demand for metals with special properties is rising. These properties include high corrosion and temperature resistance as well as excellent catalytic properties. The platinum group elements (PGE), namely ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir) and platinum (Pt), are distinguished by these properties and are of great importance for numerous technological applications. For example, platinum, palladium and rhodium are used in automotive catalytic converters, and platinum and iridium are used in PEM electrolyzers for hydrogen production.

Current primary production of PGE is heavily concentrated on sulfide ores in South Africa. As demand rises, the use of additional raw material sources is becoming increasingly important. Unconventional, oxidized or low-sulfide PGE ores occur e.g. in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Brazil, as well as in deposits in Europe.

The detailed investigation of these ores is the stage within BioPlat project. The project partners G.E.O.S. Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH (G.E.O.S.) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) are sampling selected deposits and characterizing the ore samples. Conventional processes can so far recover PGE from these ores only to a limited extent. The project therefore aims to develop an effective, resource-efficient process chain.

This hybrid process chain combines mechanical, hydrometallurgical and biohydrometallurgical pretreatment methods, among others, with subsequent chemical leaching of the PGE. Bioleaching is used first to selectively dissolve components of the ore matrix, to liberate the PGE-containing minerals. The Microbiology and Biohydrometallurgy research group will test and optimize various reductive and oxidative bioleaching methods for this step. 

G.E.O.S. will then apply chemical leaching to bring the PGE remaining in the solids into solution. They also investigate their selective recovery or enrichment in solution and the recovery of valuable by-products. For the final step of the process chain, the Microbiology and Biohydrometallurgy Group will also investigate routes to selectively recover the PGE from solution as nanoparticles using biogenic sulfide.

Once the process parameters have been optimized, the process chain is to be scaled up to pilot scale. Its potential environmental impacts will be assessed by means of a life cycle assessment (LCA). In addition, the economic viability of the process will be evaluated.