AUIN

The term rare earths refers to a set of metals that have been gaining increasing importance due to their high tech applications. Current rare earth extraction methods, which comprise treatments with chemicals and with microorganisms, expose the material to the microorganism, which may inhibit biological growth and negatively affect the extracted product.

This invention consists of a rare earth extraction method that involves the indirect use of microorganisms, without exposing them to the metals, and increasing the production efficiency of oxidizing substances and the final product. This method is simple, low cost, and in laboratory tests, has demonstrated a three to five-fold higher efficiency than the traditional method.