Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sulfur speciation transformation during bioleaching of pyrite-containing sphalerite concentrate by thermophile Sulfolobus metallicus at 65 °C

  • Published:
Journal of Central South University Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sulfur speciation transformation during bioleaching of pyrite-containing sphalerite concentrate by thermophile Sulfolobus metallicus (S. metallicus) at 65 °C was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). The results show that the presence of S. metallicus effectively enhances the dissolution of the mineral. The yield of zinc increases from 0.5 g/L in sterile control to 2.7 g/L in bioleaching. The pyrite in the concentrate facilitates zinc dissolution in the early stage, but has hindrance role in the late stage for the formation of jarosite. Sulfur speciation analyses show that jarosite and elemental sulfur are main products in bioleaching process, and the accumulation of jarosite is mainly responsible for the decline of leaching efficiency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. de SOUZA A D, PINA P S, LEAO V A. Bioleaching and chemical leaching as an integrated process in the zinc industry [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2007, 20(6): 591–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. HOANG J, REUTER M A, MATUSEWICZ R, HUGHES S, PIRET N. Top submerged lance direct zinc smelting [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2009, 22(9/10):742–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. RODRIGUEZ Y, BALLESTER A, BLAZQUEZ M, GONZALEZ F, MUNOZ J. New information on the sphalerite bioleaching mechanism at low and high temperature [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2003, 71(1/2): 57–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. FOWLER T, CRUNDWELL F. Leaching of zinc sulfide by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: Experiments with a controlled redox potential indicate no direct bacterial mechanism [J]. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1998, 64(10): 3570–3575.

    Google Scholar 

  5. XIA Le-xian, LIU Jian-she, XIAO Li, ZENG Jia, LI Ban-mei, GENG Mei-mei, QIU Guan-zhou. Single and cooperative bioleaching of sphalerite by two kinds of bacteria-Acidithiobacillus ferriooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans [J]. Transactions of the Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2008, 18(1): 190–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. CHEN Song, QIU Guan-zhou, QIN Wen-qing, LAN Zhuo-yue. Bioleaching of sphalerite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans cultured in 9K medium modified with pyrrhotite [J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology, 2008, 15(4): 503–507.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. DEVECI H, JORDAN M, POWELL N, ALP I. Effect of salinity and acidity on bioleaching activity of mesophilic and extremely thermophilic bacteria [J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2008, 18(3): 714–721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. PINA P, LEAO V, SILVA C, DAMAN D, FRENAY J. The effect of ferrous and ferric iron on sphalerite bioleaching with Acidithiobacillus sp [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2005, 18(5): 549–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. MOUSAVI S, JAFARI A, YAGHMAEI S, VOSSOUGHI M, ROOSTAAZAD R. Bioleaching of low-grade sphalerite using a column reactor [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2006, 82(1/2): 75–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. MOUSAVI S, YAGHMAEI S, VOSSOUGHI M, JAFARI A, ROOSTAAZAD R. Zinc extraction from Iranian low-grade complex zinc-lead ore by two native microorganisms: Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and sulfobacillus [J]. International Journal of Mineral Processing, 2006, 80(2/3/4): 238–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. ROHWERDER T, GEHRKE T, KINZLER K, SAND W. Bioleaching review part A [J]. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2003, 63(3): 239–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. da SILVA G. Relative importance of diffusion and reaction control during the bacterial and ferric sulphate leaching of zinc sulphide [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2004, 73(3/4): 313–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. SHI Shao-yuan, FANG Zhao-heng, NI Jin-ren. Comparative study on the bioleaching of zinc sulphides [J]. Process Biochemistry, 2006, 41(2): 438–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. CRUNDWELL F K. Physical chemistry of bacterial leaching [M]// RAWLINGS D E ed. Biomining: Theory, microbes and industrial processes. New York: Springer, 1997: 177–200.

    Google Scholar 

  15. GIAVENO A, LAVALLE L, CHIACCHIARINI P, DONATI E. Bioleaching of zinc from low-grade complex sulfide ores in an airlift by isolated Leptospirillum ferrooxidans [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2007, 89(1/2): 117–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. CORDOBA E M, MUNOZ J A, BLAZQUEZ M L, GONZALEZ F, BALLESTER A. Leaching of chalcopyrite with ferric ion. Part IV: The role of redox potential in the presence of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2008, 93(3/4): 106–115.

    Google Scholar 

  17. HIROYOSHI N, ARAI M, MIKI H, TSUNEKAWA M, HIRAJIMA T. A new reaction model for the catalytic effect of silver ions on chalcopyrite leaching in sulfuric acid solutions [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2002, 63(3): 257–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. VILCOEZ J, INOUE C. Mathematical modeling of thermophilic bioleaching of chalcopyrite [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2009, 22(11): 951–960.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. KARAMANEV D, NIKOLOV L, MAMATARKOVA V. Rapid simultaneous quantitative determination of ferric and ferrous ions in drainage waters and similar solutions [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2002, 15(5): 341–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. HE Huan, XIA Jin-lan, YANG Yi, JIANG Hong-chen, XIAO Chun-qiao, ZHENG Lei, MA Chen-yan, ZHAO Yi-dong, QIU Guan-zhou. Sulfur speciation on the surface of chalcopyrite leached by Acidianus manzaensis [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2009, 99(1/2): 45–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. PAKTUNC D, FOSTER A, HEALD S, LAFLAMME G. Speciation and characterization of arsenic in gold ores and cyanidation tailings using X-ray absorption spectroscopy [J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2004, 68(5): 969–983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. KONISHI Y, NISHIMURA H, ASAI S. Bioleaching of sphalerite by the acidophilic thermophile Acidianus brierleyi [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 1998, 47(2/3): 339–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. FOWLER T, CRUNDWELL F. Leaching of zinc sulfide by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: Bacterial oxidation of the sulfur product layer increases the rate of zinc sulfide dissolution at high concentrations of ferrous ions [J]. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1999, 65(12): 5285–5292.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education (Central South University), Changsha, 410083, China

    Jin-lan Xia  (夏金兰), Xiao-juan Zhao  (赵小娟), Chang-li Liang  (梁长利), Yi Yang  (杨益), Zhen-yuan Nie  (聂珍媛), Lu Tang  (汤露) & Guan-zhou Qiu  (邱冠周)

  2. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Jin-lan Xia  (夏金兰), Xiao-juan Zhao  (赵小娟), Chang-li Liang  (梁长利), Yi Yang  (杨益), Zhen-yuan Nie  (聂珍媛), Lu Tang  (汤露) & Guan-zhou Qiu  (邱冠周)

  3. Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Chen-yan Ma  (马陈燕), Lei Zheng  (郑雷) & Yi-dong Zhao  (赵屹东)

Authors
  1. Jin-lan Xia  (夏金兰)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiao-juan Zhao  (赵小娟)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chang-li Liang  (梁长利)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yi Yang  (杨益)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhen-yuan Nie  (聂珍媛)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lu Tang  (汤露)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Chen-yan Ma  (马陈燕)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Lei Zheng  (郑雷)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Yi-dong Zhao  (赵屹东)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Guan-zhou Qiu  (邱冠周)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jin-lan Xia  (夏金兰).

Additional information

Foundation item: Project(50974140) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project(VR-09157) supported by Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF) Public User Program, China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xia, Jl., Zhao, Xj., Liang, Cl. et al. Sulfur speciation transformation during bioleaching of pyrite-containing sphalerite concentrate by thermophile Sulfolobus metallicus at 65 °C. J. Cent. South Univ. 19, 1961–1966 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-012-1232-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-012-1232-x

Key words

Search

Navigation