title: Bio-processing of copper from combined smelter dust and flotation concentrate: a comparative study on the stirred tank and airlift reactors.
abstract: To scrutinize the influence of the design and type of the bioreactors on the bioleaching efficiency, the bioleaching were evaluated in a batch airlift and a batch stirred tank bioreactors with mixed mesophilic and mixed moderately thermophilic bacteria. According to the results, maximum copper recoveries were achieved using the cultures in the stirred tank bioreactors. It is worth noting that the main phase of the flotation concentrate was chalcopyrite (as a primary sulphide), but the smelter dust mainly contained secondary copper sulphides such as Cu(2)S, CuS, and Cu(5)FeS(4).Under optimum conditions, copper dissolution from the combined flotation concentrate and smelter dust (as an environmental hazard) reached 94.50% in the STR, and 88.02% in the airlift reactor with moderately thermophilic, after 23 days. Also, copper extractions calculated for the bioleaching using mesophilic bacteria were 48.73% and 37.19% in the STR (stirred tank reactor) and the airlift bioreactor, respectively. In addition, the SEM/EDS, XRD, chemical, and mineralogical analyses and studies confirmed the above results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mining Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran. alibehzad86@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Ali Behrad
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vakylabad
authors.forename: Mahin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaffie
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranjbar
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Manafi
authors.forename: Esmaeel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Darezereshki
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008669:Metallurgy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D007220:Industrial Waste; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron