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Bacterial Leaching of Copper and Gold
Member rating: No Rating | Words: | Submitted: Fri Mar 04 2005
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Open The Book Paper Bacterial Leaching of Copper and Gold Background Information Bioleaching is the extraction of certain metals from their ores through the use of bacteria. Traditional extractions involve many expensive processes such as smelting and roasting, which requires adequate amount of concentration in its ore. The low concentration is not a problem for the bacteria as it ignores the waste product that surrounds the metal. The micro-organisms gain energy from breaking down the minerals into their constituent elements. Process The extraction of copper involves two types of bacteria, Thiobacillus fero-oxidans (pictured) and Thiobacillus thio-oxidans. Stage 1 The bacteria catalyse the break down of the mineral arsenopyrite FeAsS (picutred) by oxidising the sulfur and metal arsenic to higher oxidation states, which simply means that the sulfur and arsenic (loose electrons thus making them positive ions), whilst reducing oxygen (this is the gain of electrons by an atom) by H2 and Fe3+. This allows soluble products...
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