title: Current scenario of chalcopyrite bioleaching: a review on the recent advances to its heap-leach technology.
abstract: Chalcopyrite is the primary copper mineral used for production of copper metal. Today, as a result of rapid industrialization, there has been enormous demand to profitably process the low grade chalcopyrite and "dirty" concentrates through bioleaching. In the current scenario, heap bioleaching is the most advanced and preferred eco-friendly technology for processing of low grade, uneconomic/difficult-to-enrich ores for copper extraction. This paper reviews the current status of chalcopyrite bioleaching. Advanced information with the attempts made for understanding the diversity of bioleaching microorganisms; role of OMICs based research for future applications to industrial sectors and chemical/microbial aspects of chalcopyrite bioleaching is discussed. Additionally, the current progress made to overcome the problems of passivation as seen in chalcopyrite bioleaching systems have been conversed. Furthermore, advances in the designing of heap bioleaching plant along with microbial and environmental factors of importance have been reviewed with conclusions into the future prospects of chalcopyrite bioleaching.
authors: Department of Bioresources Engineering, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar 751013, Odisha, India.
authors: Sandeep
authors: S
authors: Panda
authors: Mineral-Metal Recovery and Recycling Research Group, Mineral Processing Division, Department of Mining Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, TR32260 Isparta, Turkey. Electronic address: ataakcil@sdu.edu.tr.
authors: Ata
authors: A
authors: Akcil
authors: Department of Bioresources Engineering, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar 751013, Odisha, India.
authors: Nilotpala
authors: N
authors: Pradhan
authors: Hydromet B&PM Group, Mineral & Coal Process. Div., Dept. of Mining Eng., Karadeniz Technical University, TR61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
authors: Haci
authors: H
authors: Deveci
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry
chemical_list: C012819:chalcopyrite; D003300:Copper
keywords: Acidophilies; Chalcopyrite; Copper; Heap bioleaching; Industrial biotechnology