Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a Gram-negative bacterium that thrives in extreme acidic conditions. It has emerged as a key player in biomining and bioleaching technologies thanks to its unique ability to mobilize a wide spectrum of elements, such as Li, P, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Mo, W, Pb, U, and its role in ferrous iron oxidation and reduction. A. ferrooxidans catalyzes the extraction of elements by generating iron (III) ions in oxic conditions, which are able to react with metal sulfides. This review explores the bacterium’s versatility in metal and elemental mobilization, with a focus on the mechanisms involved, encompassing its role in the recovery of industrially relevant elements from ores. The application of biomining technologies leveraging the bacterium’s natural capabilities not only enhances element recovery efficiency, but also reduces reliance on conventional energy-intensive methods, aligning with the global trend towards more sustainable mining practices. However, its use in biometallurgical applications poses environmental issues through its effect on the pH levels in bioleaching systems, which produce acid mine drainage in rivers and lakes adjacent to mines. This dual effect underscores its potential to shape the future of responsible mining practices, including potentially in space, and highlights the importance of monitoring acidic releases in the environment.

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the major current in the Southern Ocean, isolating the warm stratified subtropical waters from the more homogeneous cold polar waters. The ACC flows from west to east around Antarctica and generates an overturning circulation by fostering deep-cold water upwelling and the formation of new water masses, thus affecting the Earth’s heat balance and the global distribution of carbon. The ACC is characterized by several water mass boundaries or fronts, known as the Subtropical Front (STF), Subantarctic Front (SAF), Polar Front (PF), and South Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (SACCF), identified by typical physical and chemical properties. While the physical characteristics of these fronts have been characterized, there is still poor information regarding the microbial diversity of this area. Here we present the surface water bacterioplankton community structure based on 16S rRNA sequencing from 13 stations sampled in 2017 between New Zealand to the Ross Sea crossing the ACC Fronts. Our results show a distinct succession in the dominant bacterial phylotypes present in the different water masses and suggest a strong role of sea surface temperatures and the availability of Carbon and Nitrogen in controlling community composition. This work represents an important baseline for future studies on the response of Southern Ocean epipelagic microbial communities to climate change.