title: [Oxidation of gold-antimony ores by a thermoacidophilic microbial consortium].
abstract: Antimony leaching from sulfide ore samples by an experimental consortium of thermoacidophilic microorganisms, including Sulfobacillus, Leptospirillum, and Ferroplasma strains was studied. The ores differed significantly in the content of the major metal sulfides (%): Sb(S), 0.84 to 29.95; Fe(S), 0.47 to 2.5, and As(S), 0.01 to 0.4. Independent on the Sb(S) concentration in the experimental sample, after adaptation to a specific ore and pulp compaction the microorganisms grew actively and leached/oxidized all gold-antimony ores at 39 ± 1 degrees C. The lower was the content of iron and arsenic sulfides, the higher was antimony leaching. For the first time the investigations conducted with the use of X-ray microanalysis research made it possible to conclude that in a natural high-antimony ore Sb inhibits growth of only a part of the cell population and that Ca, Fe, and Sb may compete for the binding centers of the cell.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Tsaplina
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Sorokin
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Zhuravleva
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Melamud
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Bogdanova
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kondrat'eva
mesh_terms: D000965:Antimony / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D000965:Antimony