Specialized acidophilic bacteria and archaea are able to extract valuable metals such as copper, gold, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and uranium from sulfide ores. This process is known as bioleaching and its application in the mining industry as biomining. Laboratory studies also demonstrated bioleaching of oxide ores such as laterites and of mining residues such as mine tailings as well as metal recycling from waste (secondary mining). Metals being leached have to be recovered from acidic polymetallic solutions (mine and process waters) which is possible via biosorption or biomineralisation.