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Electrochemical Characterization of Sulphide Minerals–Halophilic Bacteria Surface Interaction for Bioflotation Applications

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Abstract

The effects of halophilic bacteria (Halobacillus sp. and Marinobacter sp.) on pyrite and chalcopyrite surface oxidation in artificial seawater are studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in conjunction with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cyclic voltammetry analysis (CV), in order to explain the influence of these microorganisms on the minerals floatability. EIS analyses on pyrite electrodes suggest that biomaterial from both bacteria adheres to the mineral surface, which is reinforced by CV experiments as capacitive currents are promoted by both bacteria. Additionally, XRD analyses of pyrite samples after immersion in artificial seawater with and without bacteria indicate the formation of hematite on the mineral surface in the presence of Halobacillus sp., which together with the adherence of biomaterial could promote the depression of pyrite during flotation. On the other hand, EIS and CV analyses on chalcopyrite electrodes suggest that the adherence of Halobacillus sp. and Marinobacter sp. to the surface of the mineral have no significant effects on the kinetics of the chalcopyrite oxidation processes. These results together with XRD analyses of the chalcopyrite samples after immersion in artificial seawater with and without bacteria suggest that superficial sulphur might have a stronger influence on chalcopyrite flotability than the presence of bacteria.

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Notes

  1. All the potentials presented in this work are referred to this electrode, unless noted otherwise.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support from the CONICYT-BMBF international cooperation project BMBF150026: “Bioflotation of Sulfides in Seawater: Evaluation of Potential Application of Biocomponents in Copper Ore Processing with Seawater (BS2)” and the CONICYT-PIA project AFB180004. Also, the authors thank Dr. Götz Haferburg from the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) for his collaboration on the isolation and initial characterization of the bacteria strains.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile

    Sergio González-Poggini & Melanie Colet-Lagrille

  2. Advanced Mining Technology Centre (AMTC), Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Av. Tupper 2007 (AMTC Building), Santiago, Chile

    Sergio González-Poggini, Willy Kracht & Melanie Colet-Lagrille

  3. Department of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 850, Santiago, Chile

    Willy Kracht

  4. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Chemnitzer Str. 40, 09599, Freiberg, Germany

    Guillermo Luque Consuegra & Martin Rudolph

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  1. Sergio González-Poggini
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Correspondence to Melanie Colet-Lagrille.

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Manuscript submitted February 22, 2021; accepted June 19, 2021.

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González-Poggini, S., Luque Consuegra, G., Kracht, W. et al. Electrochemical Characterization of Sulphide Minerals–Halophilic Bacteria Surface Interaction for Bioflotation Applications. Metall Mater Trans B 52, 3373–3382 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-021-02267-7

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