A sustainable method of removing metals from ores called biohydrometallurgy mainly depends on microbial activity in bioleaching systems. This work explores the complex interplay among metabolic activity, microbial diversity, and their effects on biohydrometallurgical processes. This study clarifies the critical role that microbial communities play in improving metal extraction efficiency, reducing environmental impacts, and optimising operational parameters in bioleaching operations through a thorough review of the literature and analysis of data that is readily available to the public. The study explores the microbial consortiums that flourish in bioleaching conditions, examining their interactions, metabolic capacities, and taxonomic makeup. Through the utilisation of omics technologies, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomic, this research reveals the potential functions of microbial populations and their strategies for adapting to difficult environments in bioleaching systems. Additionally, the study explores insights into how substrate characteristics, operational variables, and environmental factors affect the dynamics and activity of microbial communities. It investigates how various parameters, including pH, temperature, available nutrients, and metal concentrations, influence the ecology of microorganisms and alter the efficiency of bioleaching. This study also emphasises how the diversity and activity of microorganisms affect the productivity, sustainability, and financial viability of biohydrometallurgical processes. It talks about how to use microbes to reduce energy use, increase metal recovery rates, and lessen the environmental impact of mining operations. In summary, the results highlight how crucial it is to comprehend microbial ecology and their functional roles in bioleaching environments to improve the sustainability and efficiency of biohydrometallurgical processes. This study emphasises on the literature review based in-depth understanding of microbial communities and their activities to optimise bioleaching processes.
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