Abstract
Extraction of nickel by microbial leaching of Greek laterites is feasible by using ofAspergillus andPenicillium. The effectiveness was found to depend on the ability of the microorganism to produce hydroxycarboxylic acids, especially citric acid, as well as other metabolites. The nickel recoveries achieved were as high as 60%, in 48 d, when the ore was leached in the presence of the living fungi, in a sucrose medium, and as high as 70%, in a much shorter time, when the ore was leached by their metabolic products after pH adjustment by means of sulfuric acid. The use of much cheaper, factory grade, Greek beet molasses as a growth medium proved promising, giving the possibility of making the process more attractive in economic terms.
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Tzeferis, P.G. Fungal leaching of nickeliferous laterites. Folia Microbiol 39, 137–140 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02906809
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02906809