Plants interact closely with microbes and these can enhance plant growth and health by increasing nutrient uptake and improving plant resistance to pathogens and stress. Plant-associated microorganisms are commonly used as ‘biofertilisers’ in agriculture but their incorporation into phytoremediation systems to improve plant establishment and growth, and modify plant metal accumulation, is more recent. This review focuses on the recent advances in the use of plant–bacterial associations to enhance phytoextraction (phytomining) processes in trace element (TE)–contaminated or –enriched sites. Experimental evidence shows that plant-associated bacteria play an important role in plant TE bioaccumulation, and bench level studies suggest bacterial inoculants could enhance phytoextraction efficiency. However, the performance of these bacterial inoculants under natural conditions will have to be investigated under a field scale.