DNA sequencing, microbial sensors, and the discovery of buried mineral resources

New mineral resources are critical to both sustaining human population growth and technological improvements that will enable global decarbonization. New and innovative exploration technologies that enable detection of deeply buried mineralization and host rocks are required to meet these demands. Here we show that DNA amplicon sequencing of soil microbial communities resolves anomalies in microbial community composition and structure that reflect the surface expression of kimberlite ore bodies buried under 10s of meters of overburden. Indicator species derived from laboratory amendment experiments were employed in an exploration survey in which the species distributions effectively delineated the surface expression of buried kimberlites. Additional indicator species derived from field observations improved the blind discovery of kimberlites buried beneath similar overburden types. Application of DNA sequence-based analyses of soil microbial communities to mineral deposit exploration provides a powerful illustration of how the sensing capabilities of environmental microbial communities can be leveraged in the discovery of critical new resources.