Biomineralization : deposition of metals
Several examples of microbially induced chemical deposition are known. For instance, it has been suggested in several separate studies that in Venezuela and Alaska, gold deposits have arisen through such a process. It is suggested that negatively charged polymer on the outside of the bacteria attracts the positively charged gold particles in the soil, so that they clump together as grains and eventually as gold nuggets. It has also been demonstrated that metals like gold continue to accumulate on the negatively charged polymers even after the bacteria have died, so that the process can continue indefinitely giving gold nuggets. During early 1990’s association of lace like gold-decorated microbial structures with gold particles was demonstrated form nine Alaskan sites.


