Microbes that grow gold grains looking like a coral reef could open up new possibilities for mineral prospecting, according to an Australian researcher.
With only about 5 percent of the sea floor explored in detail, a picture is emerging of a vast system of natural undersea dynamos, fueled by hot springs, that produce not only valuable mineral deposits, but habitats for unique, heat-loving organisms that can provide materials for products ranging from detergents to pharmaceuticals.
