Introduction to a special issue on organic- and microbe-metal interactions in mineral systems

Graphical abstract captionSchematic diagrams summarizing key observations from papers of this special issue, which can be grouped into three main themes. Theme one: microbes in mineral exploration (1: the fungi and associated metals (Bohu et al., 2022); 2: the gases generated by microbes during experimental weathering of ores (Plet et al., 2021)). Theme two: organic matter in ore deposits (1: Cu-sulfide and pyrobitumen in Jurassic stratabound Cu-(Ag) deposits in Chile (Herazo et al., 2020); 2: gold precipitation triggered by oil droplets in Witwatersrand goldfields (Fuchs et al., 2021); 3: U-bearing pyrite hosted by organic matter (Cumberland et al., 2021); 4: hydrocarbons migrated from the host rock into the mineralised zone in the McArthur River Zn-Pb-Ag deposit (Vinnichenko et al., 2021); 5: pyrite with metal-rich rim and metal-poor core in the unmineralized sedimentary rocks within the McArthur River Zn-Pb distal district (Li et al., 2022)); Theme three: microbes in bioremediation (1: Cu- and Zn-rich biofilms in sulfidic water (Henne et al., 2021); 2: enhanced ferrugination of biocrusts (Paz et al., 2021)).