The Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (EAGME), within the framework of its broad range of activities and based on its extensive experience and expertise in the geosciences, is implementing a research project on the potential utilization of microorganisms that play a key role in recycling chemical elements within the biosphere and are abundant in the natural environment.
These so-called “tiny miners” are microorganisms capable of surviving under extreme conditions (high metal concentrations, temperature, pH, and pressure) and can be applied in a wide range of fields — from mining and metallurgy to medical and pharmaceutical technology, astrobiology (simulation of survival conditions similar to those on Mars), and the environmental restoration of contaminated areas.
The limited supply of mineral resources in relation to growing demand, coupled with the urgent need to protect the environment, has driven scientists to develop and adopt new processing and recovery methods for low-grade ores and mining waste.
The role of microorganisms in recycling chemical elements within the biosphere — first studied in the early 20th century — led, by 1930, to the establishment of a new scientific field known as Geological Microbiology. Data from this line of research eventually enabled the biotechnological processing of ores on an industrial scale in recent decades, particularly for copper, uranium, and gold.
The ambitious EAGME research program focuses on:
- Systematically recording, for the first time in Greece, the biodiversity of areas characterized by extreme environmental conditions that are favorable to hosting unique biological systems (mining environments, geothermal springs, high-salinity environments, volcanoes).
- Sampling and collecting microorganisms from across the Greek territory.
- Identifying and characterizing microorganisms using advanced molecular biology techniques (DNA sequencing).
- Exploring their potential uses and innovative future applications.
- Developing a comprehensive database and creating geospatial maps using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
This research initiative is being carried out by EAGME in collaboration with international institutions, including the University of Florence and the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), as well as with the Molecular Biology and Genomics Laboratory of the University of Thessaly.
Field teams from EAGME, led by Ms. Vasiliki Angelatou, Head of the Department of Mineral Raw Materials Technology and Metallurgy (TEOPYM), and supported by scientific and technical staff (G. Vougioukalakis, D. Vasilakis, A. Exikis, A. Chatziapostolou), together with distinguished international scientists, have conducted sampling campaigns over the past two years at various locations including: the fumaroles of Nisyros, Milos, and Santorini (Palaia and Nea Kameni), the Thermal Springs of Polichnitos, Lisvori, and Sarlitza in Lesvos, Agiásmata in Chios, and the mining areas of Ermioni, Kirki, and Drama.
The research is being implemented under the action “Secondary sources of metallic values” of the subproject “Actions for the Utilization of Primary and Secondary Mineral Resources – DYOPY” of the project “Studies and research supporting the energy sector of industry and entrepreneurship – OPYGEC”, executed by EAGME and co-funded by the Operational Program ‘Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EPAnEK)’.