US-based 1849 Bio is developing a cleaner and more efficient way for mining companies to extract metals such as gold and copper from low-grade ores and leftover mining material. Its technology uses genetically engineered microbes that are designed for the specific conditions of each mine, helping recover valuable metals from materials that would normally be too costly or difficult to process. By using biology instead of traditional high-energy or toxic extraction methods, 1849 Bio aims to make metal extraction cheaper, more scalable, and more environmentally friendly.