Bacillus licheniformis, an indigenous strain from high silica‐containing magnesite ore was found to tolerate 250 μg of Si/ml (Na2SiO3.5H2O) in the medium. During growth the bacterium was capable of accumulating about 21 μg of Si/ml within 8 h. The absence of phosphate was highly inhibitory to its growth as well as silicon absorption. A relationship between growth, utilization of Si and its release from magnesite ore is discussed. A feedback inhibition of Si release from the ore has been predic