Biohydrometallurgy and Biomineralization - For some years now, bacterial activity has been implicated in the weathering, leaching and deposition of mineral ores. This has led to a marriage between biotechnology and metallurgy, creating a new discipline known as biohydrometallurgy.

Similarly in many cases, the metals are deposited as insoluble oxides and sulphides due to large scale and long term activity of bacteria. This area of biotechnology research is described as biomineralization.