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Bacterial leaching - The process involved and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this method of extracting metals from low grade ore.
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Abstract The use of bacterial leaching became a reality for the mining industry in the 1950's initially in copper mining and later in gold mining. This report looks at the process involved and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this method of extracting metals from low grade ore. EXTRACTING COPPER In 1752, at the Rio Tinto mines, it was first noted that blue-green streams of liquid running from the excavated rock left a brown film on the iron implements. This film was pure copper. In 1947 it was discovered that this was caused by micro-organisms (Merson,J. 1992). Thiobacillus ferro-oxidans and Thiobacillus thio-oxidans thrive by oxidising Fe2+ ions and S2- ions. By spraying the low-grade ore left by traditional mining methods with an acidic leaching solution containing these bacteria results in the conversion of the insoluble sulphide materials into a solution containing CU2+, Fe2+,, Fe3+ and SO42- ions S2- ions are present in copper...
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