Biomining is like when we use tiny living things to help us get valuable materials out of rocks!
Imagine you have a big pile of rocks that have a little bit of gold or copper inside. It's really hard to get that gold or copper out of the rocks by just using machines or chemicals. But some special little microbes (that's a fancy word for tiny living things) can help us out!
These microbes are really good at breaking down the rocks and getting the valuable stuff out. They eat the rocks and turn them into something we can use. It's like when we eat food and our bodies turn it into energy.
Scientists even have special ways to "train" these microbes to go after certain minerals or metals. It's kind of like teaching a dog to fetch a ball!
Biomining is a really cool way to get important materials while also being kind to the environment. Instead of using chemicals that could be harmful, we're using little living things to help us out.