Microbial transformation of soluble tellurium demonstrated

bar graph — Change in soluble Te over 24 days in cultures of *B. selenitireducens* treated with different initial tellurite concentrations. Average of triplicates; error bars represent one standard deviation.

CMI researchers at Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and First Solar conducted the research for this highlight

Innovation
Tellurium-reducing bacteria can transform soluble tellurium to insoluble Te minerals.

Achievement
The bacterium Bacillus selenitireducens was shown to convert soluble tellurite at millimolar concentrations to tellurium nanoparticles.

Significance and Impact

Selective removal and transformation of Te from aqueous solution offers a potential means for facile separation and concentration of tellurium.
Next steps would include testing of B. selenitireducens ability to transform Te in real tailings leachates—could enable Te production from domestic copper mining.

Hub Targets Addressed

Grand challenge: Unlocking unconventional resources.
Industry adoption of a technology for source diversification for a material other than REE or Li.

scanning electron microscope image — Scanning electron microscope images of *B. selenitireducens* treated with 1 mM tellurite and elemental mapping by energy dispersive spectroscopy.

scanning electron microscope image with parts tinted — In this panel carbon is designated by red, and tellurium by blue.