The Great Work of the Metal Lover

[gremlin]

you got to see this there are some good photos at the link. extremophilic bacterium making gold deposits.

http://adamwbrown.net/projects-2/the-gr ... tal-lover/

Historically, Magnum Opus, or The Great Work, was an alchemical process that incorporated a personal, spiritual and chemical method for creating the Philosopher’s Stone, a mysterious red colored substance that was capable of transmuting base matter into the noble metal of gold. Discovering the principals of the Philosopher’s Stone was one of the defining and at the same time seemingly unobtainable objectives of Western alchemy.

The Great Work of the Metal Lover is an artwork that sits at the intersection of art, science and alchemy, re-examining the problem of transmutation through the use of modern microbiological practice and thus solving the ancient riddle.


Great Work of the Metal Lover (SEM)
Gold production is accomplished by the pairing of a highly specialized metallotolerant extremophilic bacterium and an engineered atmosphere contained within a customized alchemical bioreactor. The extreme minimal ecosystem within the bioreactor forces the bacteria to metabolize high concentrations of toxic AuCl3 (gold chloride), turning soluble gold into usable 24K gold.

Extremophiles are microorganisms that are able to survive and flourish in physically and/or chemically extreme conditions that would kill most of the life on our planet. It is believed that extremophiles hold the key to understanding how life may have originated due to their unique ability to metabolize toxic substances like uranium, arsenic and gold chloride.

Interestingly, the earth’s lakes and oceans contain vast quantities of dissolved gold, perhaps as much as ten trillion dollars worth, though in dilute concentrations. Because of its form, it is virtually unusable. There is now compelling evidence suggesting that many of the earth’s gold deposits are formed not through heat, pressure and geochemical processes alone, but are indeed formed by microorganisms.

[russau]

Mel dont use that 4 letter work here! (work) i get feeling sickly whenever i hear that word!:)

[gremlin]

lol

[Hoser John]

Science keeps on finding more and more exotic critters with a affinity for gold and has completely proven that gold does indeed grow as in old miners tales....cool and thanx much as had not seen this new info-John