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Tuesday, 23rd January 2007 (5615 views)

Biotechnology firms in South African are predicted to increase their spending on research and development over the next three years, a move that could have a significant impact on the country's gold industry.

According to Creamer Media state research institutions and private sector companies are to spend some R2.5 billion (£177 million) between now and 2010 on R&D in the biotechnology sector.

"We believe that biotechnology can make a big contribution to the country, to the economy," South Africa's science and technology minister Mosibudi Mangena told the news provider.

Previous biotechnology funding in the country has led to significant developments in bioleaching, which is a technique used by the mining industry to extract minerals like gold from their ores using bacteria.

For example, in the 1980s the South African mining company Gencor was able to undertake years of research and development which led to the creation of the world's first bioleaching plant for gold-bearing sulphide concentrates.

The patented BIOX process that was developed at this plant is now used by gold mining companies on several continents across the globe.

 

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