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Microbes offer practical wisdom for reimagining the future of mining by leveraging microbial metabolisms across every aspect of the mining life cycle. Microbiome analysis – analysis of the entire habitat, including the microorganisms, their genomes and the surrounding environmental conditions – supports environmental practices across the mining lifecycle, increasing environmental sustainability and reducing costs. By replacing traditional mining extraction and mine site remediation technologies with breakthrough biomining solutions, the Mining Microbiome Analytics Platform (MMAP) project is a catalyst for new sustainable mining practices.  

Project partner Teck Resources Limited, in partnership with Allonnia, BGC Engineering, the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), Koonkie Canada, Genome BC, Rio Tinto and the University of British Columbia, created MMAP, the first integrative platform for collecting, storing and analyzing the genomic data of water, soil and rock environments to accelerate the development and application of microbial biotechnologies throughout the mining life cycle. Thousands of samples were collected from mine sites and the genomic data was sequenced and directly linked to geospatial, climate and chemical data. 

MMAP provides unprecedented access and understanding to the diversity and functional potential of the mining microbiome, enabling cost-effective, sustainable solutions for applications in tailings management, component extraction, carbon sequestration, and water treatment. M-MAP's innovative capabilities can dramatically accelerate the processing and analysis of genetic data, compressing the timeline from months to hours or days, and thus has the potential to shape sustainable mining practices and operational excellence.  

M-MAP envisions a mining industry where microbes are at the forefront of innovation, driving efficiency, minimizing waste, and reducing the industry's ecological footprint.