This paper presents some of the investigations of bioleaching and biooxidation applications in China. Bioleaching and biooxidation are new technologies with great potentials due to their simplicity, low operating cost, and little pollution to the environment. To date, two heap bioleaching plants and two biooxidation plants have been successfully put into operation to process copper ores and refractory gold concentrates, respectively. Investigations of applying bioleaching and biooxidation for other metal and nonmetal resources are now being carried out. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.