In the field of environmental resource engineering (resources processing), bioleaching, where microorganisms contribute to the dissolution of minerals, has long been studied and is a well-known microbial reaction. A similar phenomenon to this is microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), where microorganisms are involved in the corrosion reaction of metal materials. MIC has been rapidly advancing in research in recent years, with new reaction models being proposed. While both bioleaching and MIC involve microbial metabolism acting on insoluble inorganic substances, their mechanisms appear to differ. In this paper, we introduce the latest MIC research, discuss the similarities and differences between bioleaching and MIC reactions, and provide insights into the prospects for applying these reactions.
