In the goldfields of Western Australia, researchers have discovered a strain of fungus called Fusarium oxysporum that has a literal Midas touch. The pink-colored creature interacts with underground mineral deposits, breaking them down into a liquid state and eventually growing solid gold crystals on filamentous hyphae.The presence of gold on the hyphae of this fungus increased growth rate and size compared to cell cultures not infected with gold. The researchers now plan to further investigate using this bioalchemy to mine precious metals on the Moon and Mars. By leveraging fungal biomining technology, future missions will be able to harness the wonders of terrestrial life to lay the foundation for extraterrestrial resource recovery infrastructure.
A gold-eating fungus in Western Australia
Researchers at CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) found that Fusarium oxysporum absorbs gold from its surrounding environment through a dissolution process and precipitates the gold in the form of nanoparticles onto the hyphae (branched filaments). The process is highly reactive in nature and involves the fungus producing superoxide to oxidize the gold, thereby forming a gold coating on the fungus.
Why fungi prefer gold
Analysis published in the journal Nature Communications showed that fungi coated with gold showed higher growth rates than fungi that did not interact with gold. This suggests that the presence of gold could act as a catalyst for biochemical reactions or help absorb other nutrients, providing a competitive advantage to fungi in the extremely mineral-rich environment of the Australian outback.
How microorganisms could replace heavy machinery
The exploration of microbially processed minerals, often referred to as biomining, is a hot topic studied by agencies such as NASA and ESA for potential implementation in space. Due to the high cost of transporting large amounts of heavy equipment to the moon or Mars, which are invisible to the naked eye, workers like F. oxysporum could potentially be used to extract gold and other metals from the regolith or soil of other planets. The biological aspects of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) will support human presence in space in a more sustainable way in the long term.
How biometrics can eliminate the need for expensive exploration drilling
In addition to space uses, this discovery has many direct applications on Earth. Scientists at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) say the presence of gold-coated fungi found on the surface sends a signal to mining companies that deeper underground gold deposits may contain higher concentrations of gold, so biological indicators could be used first to eliminate the need for expensive drilling for exploration purposes.
