Systems and methods for em-assisted in-situ biomining

Abstract

Systems and methods for electromagnetic (EM)-assisted in-situ biomining are provided. A method for in-situ mining in a rock formation in an area of interest includes: receiving a first micro-organism from a micro-organism source at a first well extending downward from a ground surface in the area of interest, injecting the first micro-organism into a permeable layer of the rock formation via the first well to dissolve a target material to form a solution containing the first micro-organism and the target material, applying an electric field to the first micro-organism by the first well operating as a first electrode and a second well operating as a second electrode, such that the electric field stimulates activity of the first micro-organism, receiving the solution via the second well, and pumping the solution, via the second well, to a processing plant to separate the target material from the first micro-organism.

1 . A method for in-situ mining in a rock formation in an area of interest, the method comprising:
 receiving a first micro-organism from a micro-organism source at a first well extending downward from a ground surface in the area of interest;   injecting the first micro-organism into a permeable layer of the rock formation via the first well to dissolve a target material to form a solution containing the first micro-organism and the target material;   applying an electric field to the first micro-organism by the first well operating as a first electrode and a second well operating as a second electrode, such that the electric field stimulates activity of the first micro-organism to form the solution;   receiving the solution via the second well extending downward from the ground surface in the area of interest; and   pumping the solution, via the second well, to a processing plant to separate the target material from the first micro-organism.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein stimulating activity of the first micro-organism comprises one or more of:
 enhancing growth of the first micro-organism;   increasing a rate of the first micro-organism's dissolving the target material; or   directing where in the rock formation the first micro-organism travels.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying the electric field at a high intensity to suppress or kill the first micro-organism. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric field is applied according to a timing sequence. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 injecting a second micro-organism to further suppress or kill the first micro-organism,   wherein the second micro-organism is a different species from the first micro-organism, and   wherein the second micro-organism is benign to a local environment or microbiome.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 injecting a second micro-organism after the first micro-organism is suppressed or killed, the second micro-organism being a different species from the first micro-organism;   applying another electric field to the second micro-organism by the first well operating as the first electrode and the second well operating as the second electrode, such that the another electric field stimulates activity of the second micro-organism to further form the solution;   receiving the solution via the second well; and   pumping the solution, via the second well, to the processing plant to separate the target material from the second micro-organism.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 injecting a lixiviant into the rock formation via the first well before, with, or after the injecting the first micro-organism,   wherein the solution further comprises the target material dissolved by the lixiviant.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the separating the target material from the first micro-organism comprises one or more of: an electrowinning process, an electroextraction process, or a precipitation process. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric field is applied to the rock formation at one or more of: directly after the injecting of the first micro-organism or after the first micro-organism has had time to leach the target material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying an initializing electric field to kill any pre-existing micro-organisms before the injecting of the first micro-organism. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first micro-organism includes one or more of:  Acidithiobacillus, Acidiphilium, Acidocella, Acidiferrobacter, Leptospirillum, Alicyclobacillus, Sulfobacillus, Nitrospira, Ferroplasma, Acidiplasma, Cuniculiplasma, Sulfolobus, Sulfuracidifex, Acidianus, Metallosphaera , or  Sulfurisphaera.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in a first phase, the injecting the first micro-organism into the rock formation comprises injecting a first set of micro-organisms including one or more first species of micro-organisms;   after the first phase is complete, applying a high-intensity electric field to kill the first set of micro-organisms;   subsequently, in a second phase, injecting a second set of micro-organisms into the rock formation, the second set of micro-organisms including one or more second species of micro-organisms; and   after the second phase is complete, applying a high-intensity electric field to suppress or kill the second set of micro-organisms.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the one or more second species of micro-organisms is a same one or more species as the one or more first species of micro-organisms; or   the one or more second species of micro-organisms is different from the one or more first species of micro-organisms.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a high-intensity electric field to kill the first micro-organism; and   injecting a second micro-organism into the rock formation via the first well to further dissolve the target material.   
     
     
         15 . A system for in-situ mining in a rock formation in an area of interest, comprising:
 a first well extending downward from a ground surface in the area of interest, the first well being configured to:
 receive a first micro-organism from a micro-organism source; 
 inject the first micro-organism into a permeable layer of the rock formation to dissolve a target material to form a solution containing the first micro-organism and the target material; and 
 operate as a first electrode to an electric field to the first micro-organism; and 
   a second well extending downward from the ground surface in the area of interest, the second well being configured to:
 receive the solution; 
 operate as a second electrode to apply the electric field to the first micro-organism; and 
 pump the solution to a processing plant to separate the target material from the first micro-organism, 
   wherein the electric field stimulates activity of the first micro-organism to form the solution.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein stimulating activity of the first micro-organism comprises one or more of:
 enhancing growth of the first micro-organism;   increasing a rate of the first micro-organism's dissolving the target material; or   directing where in the rock formation the first micro-organism travels.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second wells are further configured to apply the electric field at a high intensity to suppress or kill the first micro-organism. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second wells are further configured to apply the electric field according to a timing sequence. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first well is further configured to inject a second micro-organism to further suppress or kill the first micro-organism;   the second micro-organism is a different species from the first micro-organism; and   the second micro-organism is benign to a local environment or microbiome.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first well is further configured to inject a second micro-organism after the first micro-organism is suppressed or killed, the second micro-organism being a different species from the first micro-organism;   the first and second wells are further configured to apply another electric field to the second micro-organism by the first well operating as the first electrode and the second well operating as the second electrode, such that the another electric field stimulates activity of the second micro-organism to further form the solution; and   the second well is further configured to:
 receive the solution; and 
 pump the solution to a processing plant to separate the target material from the second micro-organism.