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The extraction of metals from their ores using micro-organisms.
Member rating: No Rating | Words: | Submitted: Tue Aug 26 2003
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The extraction of metals from their ores using micro-organisms. New processes for mining. The extraction of Copper. Copper mining has been a main source of copper for many thousands of years. The most common form that copper is found in is in its ores, copper oxides and copper sulphides. Copper can be extracted from its ores by using bacteria this process is called biohydro-metallurgy. The bacteria that are used to extract pure copper are 'Thiobacillus ferro-oxidans and Thiobacillus thio-oxidans these bacteria live by oxidising Fe2+ and S2- ions, these ions are present in insoluble minerals of copper, zinc and lead and the oxidation releases the ions into solution where they can be extracted as metals.'1 Bacteria at work. The waste left over from previous ore crushing, (tailings), are heaped up on ground that is impermeable and the ground is sprayed with a leaching solution which contains Thiobacillus ferro-oxidans and Thiobacillus thio-oxidans, 'this leaching solution is...
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