Bioleaching of chalcopyrite concentrate using Leptospirillum ferriphilum, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans in a continuous bubble column reactor.
To estimate the bioleaching performance of chalcopyrite for various hydraulic residence times (HRTs), laboratory-scale bioleaching of chalcopyrite concentrate was carried out in a continuous bubble column reactor with three different HRTs of 120, 80 and 40 h, respectively. An extraction rate and ratio of 0.578 g Cu l(-1) h(-1) and 39.7%, respectively, were achieved for an HRT of 80 h at a solids concentration of 10% (w/v). Lower bioleaching performances than this were obtained for a longer HRT of 120 h and a shorter HRT of 40 h. In addition, there was obvious competition between Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to oxidize ferrous iron, causing large compositional differences between the microbial communities obtained for the different HRTs. Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans were found to be the dominant microbes for the longer HRT (120 h). Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans became the dominant species when the HRT was decreased. The proportion of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans was comparatively constant in the microbial community throughout the three process stages.
Xia
Lexian
L
Key Laboratory of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, School of Resources Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, 410083, Changsha, People's Republic of China.
Yin
Chu
C
Dai
Songlin
S
Qiu
Guanzhou
G
Chen
Xinhua
X
Liu
Jianshe
J
D042763:Acidithiobacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
C012819:chalcopyrite; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron