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Two-stage process of bacterial-chemical oxidation of refractory pyrite-arsenopyrite gold-bearing concentrate

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Abstract

A technology for tank biooxidation of refractory gold-bearing concentrate under variable temperature conditions has been improved: the temperature of the first of two stages was changed from 30°C to 34–36°C. Gold in this concentrate is mainly associated with sulfide minerals: arsenopyrite and pyrite, which underlies a low gold recovery (16.68%) as a result of cyanidation. To resolve the problem, an association of mesophilic acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms and moderately thermophilic bacteria of the Sulfobacillus genus were used for the concentrate oxidation. The composition of the used microbial association was studied; it was shown that it depends upon temperature: at 42°C, the population of the mesophilic thiobacteria decreased, whereas that of thermophilic sulfobacilli enhanced as compared to 36°C. The accepted scheme of the process ensures a high extent of gold recovery (94.6%) within a short space of time for biooxidation (96 h).

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Abbreviations

AAS:

atomic absorption spectrometry

AE:

atomic emission spectrometry

BO:

biooxidation

ICP:

inductively coupled plasm

MSA:

mass spectrometric analysis

S:L:

hard fraction mass of pulp (ore concentrate) to liquid fraction mass of pulp (in this case it is the nutrient saline) ratio

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Research Institute of Geological Prospecting for Base and Precious Metals, Moscow, 117545, Russia

    P. A. Zaulochnyi, E. E. Savari & G. V. Sedelnikova

  2. Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia

    A. G. Bulaev, T. A. Pivovarova & T. F. Kondratieva

Authors
  1. P. A. Zaulochnyi
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  2. A. G. Bulaev
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  3. E. E. Savari
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  4. T. A. Pivovarova
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  5. T. F. Kondratieva
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  6. G. V. Sedelnikova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. G. Bulaev.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © P.A. Zaulochnyi, A.G. Bulaev, E.E. Savari, T.A. Pivovarova, T.F. Kondratieva, G.V. Sedelnikova, 2011, published in Biotekhnologiya, 2011, No. 3, pp. 1–10.

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Zaulochnyi, P.A., Bulaev, A.G., Savari, E.E. et al. Two-stage process of bacterial-chemical oxidation of refractory pyrite-arsenopyrite gold-bearing concentrate. Appl Biochem Microbiol 47, 833–840 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0003683811090080

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0003683811090080

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