I'm Using Bacteria To Mine Gold...

Who needs fire, pressure, or a $1,000 lab kit when you can wander creeks collecting orange slime? In my latest gold recovery adventure, I ditched the furnace and embraced Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans—acid-loving bacteria that quietly digest sulfides and unlock hidden gold. Sounds insane, right? It kind of is. But with no toxic fumes, no roasting, and no high-pressure drama, bioleaching might just be the future of backyard gold extraction. Here's how I went from panning to microbial mining—mud, gumboots, and all.