Salt-loving bacterium can be genetically engineered to purify rare-earth metals

Iridium is a metallic chemical element belonging to the class of transition metals, silver. Used in high strength alloys that can withstand high temperatures.

Scientists have genetically modified a tiny bacterium to rapidly purify the rare-earth metals used in computers, electric car batteries and hard drives.

The new technique, described in a paper published Dec. 6 in the journal Synthetic Biology, could one day replace the environmentally harmful methods currently used to separate these elements from the  metals with which they're normally found, researchers said.