Insights into heap bioleaching of low grade chalcopyrite ores — A pilot scale study

Abstract Heap bioleaching of low grade chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ) was carried out in 1000 tons scale over a time period of 383 days. Bacterial solution was prepared and re‐circulated in specially designed BACFOX (BACterial Film OXidation) tank. The micro‐organisms used in the pilot scale were a mixed culture of acidophilic bacteria predominantly of the Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain. Effect of rest period, solution recirculation, acid concentration, frequency of solution transfers and seasonal effects on copper recovery were monitored. The leaching studies showed a cumulative copper dissolution rate of 0.14% per day (2.37 kg d − 1 ). The overall recovery of the heap was 30%. Variation in leaching efficiency and some of the precautionary measures to improve performance of heap bioleaching are also discussed.

[1]  R. W. Lawrence,et al.  Economic and environmental niches of biohydrometallurgy , 1996 .

[2]  M P SILVERMAN,et al.  STUDIES ON THE CHEMOAUTOTROPHIC IRON BACTERIUM FERROBACILLUS FERROOXIDANS , 1959, Journal of bacteriology.

[3]  Zeng Weimin,et al.  Bioleaching of chalcopyrite by mixed culture of moderately thermophilic microorganisms , 2007 .

[4]  C. L. Brierley,et al.  Present and future commercial applications of biohydrometallurgy , 2001 .

[5]  Hector M. Lizama,et al.  Copper bioleaching behaviour in an aerated heap , 2001 .

[6]  A. Bull.  Biotechnology for industrial sustainability , 2001 .

[7]  D. Rawlings,et al.  Biomineralization of metal-containing ores and concentrates. , 2003, Trends in biotechnology.

[8]  Ruan Ren-man,et al.  Bacterial heap-leaching: Practice in Zijinshan copper mine☆ , 2006 .

[9]  B. Mishra,et al.  Heap bioleaching of chalcopyrite : A review , 2008 .

[10]  David Dreisinger,et al.  Silver-catalyzed bioleaching of low-grade copper ores. Part II: Stirred tank tests , 2007 .

[11]  Hongfa Xu,et al.  Pullout creep properties of grouted soil anchors , 2007 .

[12]  Yang Songrong,et al.  Research and application of bioleaching and biooxidation technologies in China , 2002 .

[13]  L. Murr.  THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COPPER SULPHIDE LEACHING IN DUMPS AND IN-SITU. , 1980 .

[14]  Wen-qing Qin,et al.  Heap bioleaching of a low-grade nickel-bearing sulfide ore containing high levels of magnesium as olivine, chlorite and antigorite , 2009 .

[15]  Helen R. Watling,et al.  The bioleaching of sulphide minerals with emphasis on copper sulphides — A review , 2006 .

[16]  Wang Dian-zuo,et al.  The effect of silver-bearing catalysts on bioleaching of chalcopyrite , 2002 .

[17]  F. Crundwell.  The influence of the electronic structure of solids on the anodic dissolution and leaching of semiconducting sulphide minerals , 1988 .

[18]  Luis A. Cisternas,et al.  On the optimization of heap leaching , 2008 .

[19]  David Dreisinger,et al.  Silver-catalyzed bioleaching of low-grade copper ores. Part I Shake flasks tests , 2007 .

[20]  Robert W. Bartlett,et al.  Solution Mining: Leaching and Fluid Recovery of Materials , 1992 .

[21]  N. Pradhan,et al.  Extraction of copper from bacterial leach liquor of a low grade chalcopyrite test heap using LIX 984N-C , 2012 .

[22]  L. B. Sukla,et al.  Recovery of copper values from bio-heap leaching of low grade Malanjkhand chalcopyrite ore , 2009 .

[23]  G. Power,et al.  Electrochemistry of the oxidative leaching of copper from chalcopyrite , 1981 .

[24]  Shijie Wang.  Copper leaching from chalcopyrite concentrates , 2005 .

[25]  B. K. Mohapatra,et al.  Percolation bacterial leaching of low-grade chalcopyrite using acidophilic microorganisms , 2008 .

[26]  S. Ayyappan,et al.  Factors affecting bioleaching kinetics of sulfide ores using acidophilic micro-organisms , 1999, Biometals.

[27]  J. Brierley,et al.  Conditions for bioleaching a covellite-bearing ore , 2005 .

[28]  N. Pradhan,et al.  Bio-hydrometallurgical processing of low grade chalcopyrite for the recovery of copper metal , 2012, Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering.

[29]  E. Donati,et al.  Bioleaching of covellite using pure and mixed cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and Thiobacillus thiooxidans , 1996 .