[Virginia-American]

Less esoterically, just hink of a lichen on a rock. It gets sunlight and moisture, and also some minerals from the rock. but where does it get any organic food?

BTW, you two related?

Merry Christmas!

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Lichens absorb organic materials that fall on the rock (decomposed pine needles, etc.).

The bacterium you mentioned are not known to be able to survive without ingesting organic material. They can simply go for extended periods without, metabolizing that which they've stored...not unlike a very simplified version of a bear hibernating.

They've yet to locate an organism that can survive solely on the inorganic. Everything they have come close to identifying as such has involvement with organic material. Sorry, but your sources simply don't address this larger issue. It is still a to-be-proved. The closest they've come are the phosphorescent "things" in the depths of the ocean, but they pretty sure there is at least a life form involved in what otherwise appears to be a chemical reaction.

And even if this were the case, it still argues against the basic theory of evolution. Surely, if this were a possibility, it would be a trait of the most advanced life forms on the planet as it would guarantee survival in hostile conditions.