Natural Organic Matter Affects the Treatment of Mine Tailings through Bioleaching Processes

Abstract:

In the present study, the effects of natural organic matter (NOM) on metal bioleaching from mine tailings were investigated. NOM can enter into the bioleaching process either through mine tailings being exposed in the natural ground surface conditions or through the water quality in the bioleaching process. An analysis of the conditions resembling the interaction between NOM and mine tailings was conducted through the variation of the concentration of suspended NOM (0, 20, 50 ppm) and the amount of NOM (0, 20, 50 ppm) attached to the mine tailings surface. Different concentrations of Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA) were considered as the main source of NOM for the bioleaching experiments. The flask experiments were conducted using bacterial cultures of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (1x10⁷ cells/mL) grown in DSMZ medium 882 at a constant temperature of 30 °C, shaking speed of 150 rpm, and 1.8 as initial pH. The solid concentration was fixed at 0.5 % w/v of mine tailings (particle size of 100-150 µm), which were obtained from Janggun Mine, Gyeongsang, South Korea. No differences in extraction efficiency were observed in relation to variation of NOM concentration (0–50 ppm SRHA) attached to the surface of mine tailings. On the other hand, a reduction of approximately 10% to 15% of metal bioleaching efficiency (Zn) was observed due to the increment of suspended NOM concentrations, 20 and 50 ppm of SRHA, respectively.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 1130)
• Pages: 656-659
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1130.656
• Online since: November 2015
• Authors: René A. Silva, Jeong Hyun Park, Jeong Sik Hong, Hee Jae Kim, Jay Hyun Park, Hyun Jung Kim*
• Keywords: Metal Bioleaching, Mine Tailings, Natural Organic Matter, Zinc Extraction

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