Bacterial Growth Studies with Rare Earth Element Traces in Red Mud

Bacterial growth studies involving rare earth element (REE) traces in red mud focus on understanding how microorganisms interact with and potentially recover valuable metals from this industrial waste. Red mud, a byproduct of alumina production, contains significant concentrations of REEs along with iron oxides and other minerals that can influence microbial activity. Certain bacteria can tolerate or even utilize these trace elements, promoting bioleaching processes that release REEs into solution. Studying bacterial growth in such environments helps reveal microbial adaptation mechanisms to metal-rich conditions and supports the development of eco-friendly biotechnological methods for REE recovery and red mud remediation.