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Characterization of iron- and sulphide mineral-oxidizing moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria from an Indonesian auto-heating copper mine waste heap and a deep South African gold mine

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract

Iron- and chalcopyrite-oxidizing enrichment cultures were obtained at 50°C from acidic, high-temperature, copper/gold mine environments in Indonesia and South Africa. Over 90% copper yield was obtained from chalcopyrite concentrate with the Indonesian enrichment in 3 months with 2% solids concentration, when pH was maintained at around 2. Neither addition of silver cations nor an enhanced nutrient concentration influenced chalcopyrite leaching. Excision and sequencing of bands from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the amplified partial 16S rRNA gene showed that the enrichment cultures from different environments in South Africa and Indonesia were very simple, and similar. Chalcopyrite concentrate supported a simpler and different community than Fe2+. The members of the enrichment cultures were closely related to Sulfobacillus yellowstonensis and Sulfobacillus acidophilus.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the National Technology Agency (TEKES), Finland, Outokumpu Oyj and the graduate school of Tampere University of Technology. We thank Mr. Andrew Niele and Mrs. Judy Andrina (Freeport Grasberg mine), Mr. Mike Grima (Sandvik Tamrock) and Mr. Danie Roos (Sandvik Tamrock South Africa Ltd) for organizing the samplings and Virpi Salo and Sook Leng Thong for technical assistance.

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  1. Institute of Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, 33101, Tampere, Finland

    Päivi H.-M. Kinnunen & Jaakko A. Puhakka

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  1. Päivi H.-M. Kinnunen
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  2. Jaakko A. Puhakka
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Correspondence to Päivi H.-M. Kinnunen.

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Kinnunen, P.HM., Puhakka, J.A. Characterization of iron- and sulphide mineral-oxidizing moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria from an Indonesian auto-heating copper mine waste heap and a deep South African gold mine. J IND MICROBIOL BIOTECHNOL 31, 409–414 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-004-0160-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-004-0160-7

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