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Ion-Adsorption REE Indigenous Community

Ecological State STABLE
Environment weathering crust
ENVO:00002230
Source File Ion_Adsorption_REE_Indigenous_Community.yaml

A highly diverse indigenous microbial community in ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits in weathering profiles of South China, demonstrating remarkable selectivity for heavy rare earth elements (HREE) through bacterial teichoic acid binding. This natural community comprises over 700 genera spanning bacterial (84.2% dominated by Proteobacteria 46.9%, Acidobacteria 14.6%, Actinobacteria 9.0%, Firmicutes 6.3%) and fungal (Ascomycota 47.8%, Basidiomycota 40.4%) lineages distributed through weathering profiles up to 40 meters depth. The community exhibits unique HREE vs LREE fractionation capability, with Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus, Micrococcus) preferentially adsorbing HREE (82-85% efficiency) compared to LREE (70-78%), driven by teichoic acids in cell walls that provide selective phosphate binding sites for heavier lanthanides. Removal of teichoic acids reduces REE adsorption from 65.5% to 17.8%, confirming their critical role. The community accelerates REE mineralization in supergene weathering environments through bioweathering of granite, dissolution of REE-bearing minerals, and biosorption-mediated HREE enrichment. Ion-adsorption deposits represent the world's main source of strategically critical HREE (Dy, Y, Tb, Eu) used in permanent magnets and phosphors, with over 40 deposit sites in South China. The indigenous microbial community functions across pH gradients (4.3-7.0), exhibits oligotrophic K-strategist adaptations (Acidobacteria), and demonstrates co-localization of ytterbium with phosphate-rich cell walls. This natural HREE fractionation system offers a sustainable model for selective REE recovery and explains the geological genesis of commercially valuable HREE-enriched clay deposits.

Taxonomy

Taxon Ontology ID Functional Roles Abundance
Proteobacteria NCBITaxon:1224
PRIMARY_DEGRADER CROSS_FEEDER
DOMINANT
Acidobacteria NCBITaxon:57723
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
ABUNDANT
Actinobacteria NCBITaxon:201174
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
ABUNDANT
Bacillus NCBITaxon:1386
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
COMMON
Micrococcus NCBITaxon:1269
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
COMMON
Ascomycota NCBITaxon:4890
PRIMARY_DEGRADER CROSS_FEEDER
DOMINANT
Basidiomycota NCBITaxon:5204
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
DOMINANT

Ecological Interactions

Teichoic Acid-Mediated HREE Selective Biosorption

COMMENSALISM

Source Taxon: Bacillus

Metabolites: dysprosium(3+) (CHEBI:49782), yttrium(3+) (CHEBI:49976), ytterbium(3+) (CHEBI:33342), phosphate (CHEBI:18367)

Biological Processes:

Downstream Effects:
→ HREE Enrichment in B Horizon

Evidence

  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Taking advantage of bacteria strains isolated from the profile, Gram-positive bacteria affiliated with Bacillus and Micrococcus preferentially adsorbed HREEs, and teichoic acids in the cell wall served as the main sites for HREE adsorption, leading to an enrichment of HREEs in the deposit"
  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "teichoic acids in the cell walls of G+ bacteria lead to REE fractionation; removal of teichoic acid decreased REE adsorption from 65.5% to only 17.8%"
  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Yb is colocalized with P, where both elements are relatively rich along the cell wall"

Bioweathering and REE Mineral Dissolution

CROSS_FEEDING

Source Taxon: Proteobacteria

Metabolites: citric acid (CHEBI:30769), oxalic acid (CHEBI:16995), organic molecular entity (CHEBI:50860)

Biological Processes:

  • organic substance catabolic process (GO:1901575)
Downstream Effects:
→ Teichoic Acid-Mediated HREE Selective Biosorption

Evidence

  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "These findings not only elucidate the crucial contribution of fungi and bacteria in the supergene REE mineralization but also provide insights into efficient utilization of mineral resources via a biological pathway"
  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Both fungi and bacteria can contribute to the REE mineralization in regolith-hosted deposits"

HREE Enrichment in B Horizon

MUTUALISM

Metabolites: dysprosium(3+) (CHEBI:49782), yttrium(3+) (CHEBI:49976), terbium(3+) (CHEBI:33375)

Biological Processes:

Evidence

  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Taking advantage of bacteria strains isolated from the profile, Gram-positive bacteria affiliated with Bacillus and Micrococcus preferentially adsorbed HREEs, and teichoic acids in the cell wall served as the main sites for HREE adsorption, leading to an enrichment of HREEs in the deposit"
  • PMID:35708325 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "selective adsorption of REEs by teichoic acids in the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria can contribute to the fractionation between HREEs and LREEs"

Environmental Factors

Factor Value Unit
Weathering Profile Depth 0-40 meters
pH Gradient 4.3-7.0 pH units
REE Concentration and HREE Enrichment 776 ppm total REE
Geographic Distribution 40+ deposit sites
Microbial Diversity 700+ genera
Temperature 15-25 °C
Economic Significance 80-90% % global HREE supply