Amazon Acquires Bacterially Extracted Copper for Data Centers

In an innovative move, Amazon Web Services has become the pioneering customer for an Arizona mine that employs microorganisms for metal extraction.

Innovative Mining Technology

Amazon's data centers are set to use copper sourced from a rejuvenated Arizona mine where microorganisms work to harvest metal from ores, according to recent reports.

The bioleaching technique, pioneered by Nuton Technologies, uses naturally occurring microbes to liberate copper from ores of inferior quality that would traditionally be unfeasible to mine due to cost. This method uses less water and emits lower amounts of carbon compared to conventional mining, enabling more efficient copper retrieval from closed-off mines and facilitating a faster turnaround than starting entirely new mining operations.

Collaboration With Nuton

Amazon Web Services is not only a customer but also collaborates with Nuton Technologies by providing cloud-based data and analytical services that are essential for refining and enhancing Nuton's mining process.

Nuton began operations at the Johnson Camp mine, the site designated for extracting copper for Amazon, in December.

Sustainable and Economically Viable

The groundbreaking method serves as a potential solution for industries facing copper shortages, vital for semiconductor production and the infrastructure of data centers amid a surge in artificial intelligence developments.