lˌɪθoʊjˌuːɾətɹˈoʊfɪk maɪkɹˈoʊbɪəl kənsˈɔːɹʃə ɑːɹ ɹᵻspˈɑːnsᵻbəl fɚðə fɪnˈɑːmɪnən nˈoʊn æz ˈæsɪd mˈaɪn dɹˈeɪnɪdʒ, wˈɛɹbaɪ pˈaɪɹaɪt pɹˈɛzənt ɪn mˈaɪn tˈeɪlɪŋ hˈiːps ænd ɪn ɛkspˈoʊzd ɹˈɑːk fˈeɪsᵻz ɪz mətˈæbəlˌaɪzd, jˈuːzɪŋ ˈɑːksɪdʒən, tə pɹədˈuːs sˈʌlfaɪts, wˌɪtʃ fˈɔːɹm pətˈɛnʃəli kɚɹˈoʊsɪv sʌlfjˈʊɹɹɪk ˈæsɪd wɛn dɪsˈɑːlvd ɪn wˈɔːɾɚ ænd ɛkspˈoʊzd tʊ ˈɛɹɪəl ˈɑːksɪdʒən.
Lithoautotrophic microbial consortia are responsible for the phenomenon known as acid mine drainage, whereby pyrite present in mine tailing heaps and in exposed rock faces is metabolized, using oxygen, to produce sulfites, which form potentially corrosive sulfuric acid when dissolved in water and exposed to aerial oxygen.