Abstract
There is currently a great and increasing interest to recover precious metals from low-grade refractory sulfide gold ores by bioleaching in heaps and dumps. In order to optimize the efficiency of this oxidation process, it is necessary to evaluate the influence of biological parameters controlling sulfide oxidation in percolation devices. A detailed laboratory study in small columns containing simulated sulfide ores (pure natural pyrite FeS2 mixed with silica sand) was performed to estimate the bacterial distribution and oxidation rates during sulfide bioleaching process. The aim of this study was to establish a more accurate relationship between sulfide oxidation and the growth and activity of the bacteria (Thiobacillus ferrooxidans). Results showed that there were three bacterial classes, depending on their attachment to mineral surfaces: class 1, non-adhering bacteria or free bacteria in the leaching solution; class 2, bacteria adhering poorly to mineral surfaces and bacteria located in the interstitial medium and class 3, bacteria adhering strongly to mineral. After inoculation, the number of free bacteria decreased appreciably as a consequence of the attachment of bacterial cells to mineral surfaces. Although at least 80% of the total bacterial population was fixed throughout the process, the bacterial oxidation rates of pyrite in percolation devices showed a closer correlation with the growth of free bacteria and bacteria located in the interstitial medium than with the growth of adhering bacteria. The number of adhering bacteria did not significantly change through the column axis during the process (between 105 and 106 cells (mg mineral) −1.
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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Monroy, M.G., Dziurla, M.A., Lam, BT., Berthelin, J., Marion, P. (1994). A Laboratory Study on the Behavior of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans during Pyrite Bioleaching in Percolation Columns. In: Galindo, E., Ramírez, O.T. (eds) Advances in Bioprocess Engineering. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0641-4_71
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0641-4_71
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