Microorganisms have played and continue to play a significant role in altering minerals and rocks through dissolution and precipitation reactions. These transformations can occur in environments where such reactions would not typically be expected based on chemical predictions. However, life finds a way—driving metabolic processes that generate chemical energy through redox reactions. In this discussion, I will share two vignettes of ongoing research related to the role of microorganisms in oxidative uranium dissolution and reductive precipitation in the presence of nitrate, and the role of calcium carbonate dissolution at moderately alkaline pH resulting in methane production. These microbial processes can significantly impact environmental chemistry beyond mineral stability, influencing water quality, nutrient availability, and energy resources.
More details at: https://microbiology.unl.edu/