Biorecovery of nanogold and nanogold compounds from gold-containing ores and industrial wastes.

In nature, microorganisms developed at various places and adapted to the various weather and geological conditions. Microorganisms participate in geological transformations leading to the dissolution of some minerals and conversion to others. While some microorganisms with their metabolic activity increase the mobility of metals, others cause precipitation of metals and the formation of new minerals. These biogeochemical interactions found practical application in the recovery of metals. In the article, the proposals for improvement of existing engineering commercial processes for recovery of metals are given which can enable the formation of nanogold and nanogold compounds.Key points• Amino acids in pretreatment can increase the dissolution of the layer around the gold.• Amino acids in the complexing stage can increase gold leaching.• After the complexing stage, the bionanosynthesis of gold and its compounds is possible.