Now there's a dopey post @Midnight26!How long ago did the Wiluna...

Now there's a dopey post @Midnight26!

How long ago did the Wiluna bac leach start up?

http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/jsaimm/v109n10/01.pdf

The synopsis below indicates 25 years of bac leaching but the paper at the end of the link is 14 years old so 39 years of bac leaching of metal sulphides.

None of which provides any support for the miracle of Ecobiome but I suppose you'll latch onto it irrespective.

Synopsis

The microbial leaching of metal sulfides is now an established
biotechnological technology. Over the past 25 years, refinements in
the engineering design of bioleaching processes have paralleled
advances in our understanding of the diversity and role of the
micro-organisms driving the process and the mechanisms by which
micro-organisms enhance metal sulfide oxidation. Commercial
success started with the treatment of refractory gold concentrates
using mesophilic micro-organisms, followed by the development of
tank bioleaching processes for the treatment of base metal concentrates.
This was, initially, a mesophilic process with limited
potential for recovery of copper from chalcopyrite concentrates due
to slow rates and low copper extractions. The exploitation of
thermophiles represents a major breakthrough in the development
of bioleaching technology for the treatment of chalcopyrite
containing ores and concentrates. This development also opened the
route to heap bioleaching of chalcopyrite ores, which is now a major
focus of research programmes and piloting campaigns. This paper
reviews the historical development of minerals bioleaching
processes and gives an update on the current status of commercial
tank and heap bioleach operations around the world.