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Mining industry

Fungi's Surprising Ability to Metabolize Gold Discovered in Australian Soil

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia have discovered that a common soil fungus can metabolize gold. The fungus, Fusarium oxysporum, typically decomposes organic matter, but in this study, it was found to dissolve gold particles in its environment and precipitate them onto its mycelial filaments, effectively coating itself in gold. This biological mechanism for gold cycling has been documented for the first time. Scientists are now exploring how this fungus can assist mineral exploration, potentially making it a low-impact mining tool.

Key Takeaways:

  • The fungus Fusarium oxysporum can dissolve gold particles in its environment and precipitate them onto its mycelial filaments, effectively coating itself in gold.
  • This biological mechanism for gold cycling has been documented for the first time, providing a new understanding of how gold moves through the Earth's crust.
  • CSIRO scientists are exploring how this fungus can assist mineral exploration, potentially making it a low-impact mining tool.
  • The fungus's presence or gold particles deposited by it might signal to geologists where to look for gold, serving as a bio-indicator.
  • Fungi that interacted with gold were found to grow larger and spread faster than others, and they also supported a wider range of microorganisms in their surrounding soil.
  • The discovery has implications for low-impact mining strategies, especially as traditional mining techniques become costlier and more destructive.
  • Space agencies are taking notice of the concept of metabolic mineralurgy, using organisms to extract metals, and see potential applications in space mining.
  • The use of microbes or fungi to extract metals like gold, nickel, or platinum in microgravity could make resource harvesting on asteroids and the Moon more feasible.

Statistics:

  • The fungus Fusarium oxysporum was discovered to metabolize gold in environments where gold particles were present.
  • The fungus dissolved gold particles in a matter of days, and precipitated them onto its mycelial filaments.
  • The growth of fungi that interacted with gold was observed to be 25% faster than those that did not interact with gold.
  • The use of fungi in space mining could potentially reduce the environmental impact of traditional mining techniques.
  • The total amount of accessible gold reserves is decreasing, making low-impact mining strategies crucial for future mining efforts.

Sources:

  • CSIRO (https://www.csiro.au/Vimeo/gold-coated-fungi/video-transcript)
  • Daily Galaxy (https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/07/copper-deposits-created-beneath-our-feet/)
  • Daily Galaxy (https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/06/theyre-selling-out-our-ancestors-peru-chooses-gold-over-history-and-archaeologists-are-furious/)

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