title: Biogeochemical processes governing natural pyrite oxidation and release of acid metalliferous drainage.
abstract: The oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals (principally pyrite) is responsible for the majority of acid metalliferous drainage from mine sites, which represents a significant environmental problem worldwide. Understanding the complex biogeochemical processes governing natural pyrite oxidation is critical not only for solving this problem but also for understanding the industrial bioleaching of sulfide minerals. To this end, we conducted a simulated experiment of natural pyrite oxidative dissolution. Pyrosequencing analysis of the microbial community revealed a distinct succession across three stages. At the early stage, a newly proposed genus, Tumebacillus (which can use sodium thiosulfate and sulfite as the sole electron donors), dominated the microbial community. At the midstage, Alicyclobacillus (the fifth most abundant genus at the early stage) became the most dominant genus, whereas Tumebacillus was still ranked as the second most abundant. At the final stage, the microbial community was dominated by Ferroplasma (the tenth most abundant genus at the early stage). Our geochemical and mineralogical analyses indicated that exchangeable heavy metals increased as the oxidation progressed and that some secondary sulfate minerals (including jarosite and magnesiocopiapite) were formed at the final stage of the oxidation sequence. Additionally, we propose a comprehensive model of biogeochemical processes governing the oxidation of sulfide minerals.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Ya-ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jin-tian
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin-xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zheng-shuang
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Li-nan
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bi-bo
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Wen-sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Shu
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D008906:Mining; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D008670:Metals; D008903:Minerals; D013440:Sulfides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C011342:pyrite; D007501:Iron