Abstract
In the current study, bio-oxidation tests were carried out in shaking flasks with a flotation concentrate containing the sulphides pyrite, arsenopyrite and gudmidite. The tests were performed with mesophilic microorganisms (At. ferrooxidans ) at 30 °C and also with the moderate thermophile S. thermosulfidooxidans, at 50 °C. The effects of (i) previous adaptation of the microorganisms to the concentrate, (ii) ferrous iron concentration and (iii) pulp density (2%, 4% and 6% (w/v)) on the dissolution of the sulphide were studied through arsenic extractions. S. thermosulfidooxidans was more sensitive to the pulp density in comparison to At. ferrooxidans as a reduction in sulphide oxidation was observed with the increase in the solid content to 6%. Therefore, the mesophilic strain was selected for further work, which comprised a rolling bottle experiment at 10% solids. After 40 days of bio-oxidation , the solid material was subjected to cyanidation , which revealed 85% gold extraction as compared to 21% from the original concentrate. The antimony sulphide grains in the bio-oxidized product showed similarity to what was observed in the original sample, suggesting such particles were not susceptible to the bio-oxidation process.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Rodrigues MLM, Lopes KCS, Leoncio HC, Silva LAM, Leão VA (2016) Bioleaching of fluoride-bearing secondary copper sulphides: column experiments with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Chem Eng J 1279–1286
Goodbody A (2012) Recovering refractory resources. Mining Magazine
Angove J (2005) Metallurgical testwork: gold processing options, physical ore properties and cyanide management. In: Adams MD (ed) Developments in mineral processing, vol 15. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 97–108
Bevilaqua D, Leite ALLC, Garcia O, Tuovinen OH (2002) Oxidation of chalcopyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans in shake flasks. Process Biochem 38(4):587–592
Grigor’eva NV, Tsaplina IA, Panyushkina AE, Kondrat’eva TF (2014) Optimization of bioleaching and oxidation of gold-bearing pyrite-arsnopyrite ore concentrate in batch mode. Microbiology 83(5):550–557
Becker T, Gorham N, Shiers DW, Watling HR (2011) In situ imaging of Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans on pyrite under conditions of variable pH using tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Process Biochem 46(4):966–976
Bulaev AG, Pivovarova TA, Melamud VS, Tsaplina IA, Zhuravleva AE, Kondrat’eva TF (2011) Polymorphism of Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans strains dominating in processes of high-temperature oxidation of gold-arsenic concentrate. Microbiology 80(3):326–334
Pina PS, Oliveira VA, Cruz FLS, Leão VA (2010) Kinetics of ferrous iron oxidation by Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. Biochem Eng J 51(3):194–197
La Brooy SR, Linge HG, Walker GS (1994) Review of gold extraction from ores. Miner Eng 7(10):1213–1241
Haghshenas DF, Alamdari EK, Torkmahalleh MA, Bonakdarpour B, Nasernejad B (2009) Adaptation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to high grade sphalerite concentrate. Miner Eng 22(15):1299–1306
Rodrigues MLM, Leão VA, Gomes O, Lambert F, Bastin D, Gaydardzhiev S (2015) Copper extraction from coarsely ground printed circuit boards using moderate thermophilic bacteria in a rotating-drum reactor. Waste Manag 41:148–158
Henao DMO, Godoy MAM (2010) Jarosite pseudomorph formation from arsenopyrite oxidation using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Hydrometallurgy 104(2):162–168
Tuovinen OH, Bhatti TM, Bigham JM, Hallberg KB, Garcia O Jr, Borje Lindstrom E (1994) Oxidative dissolution of arsenopyrite by mesophilic and moderately thermophilic acidophiles. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:3268–3274
Deng S, Gu G, Wu Z, Xu X (2017) Bioleaching of arsenopyrite by mixed cultures of iron-oxidizing and sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms. Chemosphere 185:403–411
Zhang L, Qiu G-Z, Hu Y-H, Sun X-J, Li J-H, Gu G-H (2008) Bioleaching of pyrite by A. ferrooxidans and L. ferriphilum. Trans Nonferrous Met Soc China 18(6):1415–1420
Deng TL, Liao MX, Wang MH, Chen YW, Belzile N (2000) Investigations of accelerating parameters for the biooxidation of low-grade refractory gold ores. Miner Eng 13(14–15):1543–1553
Ciftci H, Akcil A (2010) Effect of biooxidation conditions on cyanide consumption and gold recovery from a refractory gold concentrate. Hydrometallurgy 104(2):142–149
Torma AE, Gabra GG (1977) Oxidation of stibnite by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 43(1):1–6
Ubaldini S, Veglió F, Toro L, Abbruzzese C (1997) Biooxidation of arsenopyrite to improve gold cyanidation: study of some parameters and comparison with grinding. Int J Miner Process 52(1):65–80
Acknowledgements
The authors should like to thank the institutions FINEP, FAPEMIG, CNPq and CAPES, also UFOP, for support throughout the development of the current research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
About this paper
Cite this paper
Carvalho, L.C., Silva, S.R., Giardini, R.M.N., Magalhães, L.S., Rodrigues, M.L.M., Leão, V.A. (2018). Selection of Microorganism for the Bio-Oxidation of a Refractory Gold-Concentrate with Focus on the Behaviour of Antimony Sulphides. In: Davis, B., et al. Extraction 2018. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95022-8_147
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95022-8_147
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95021-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95022-8
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)