Bioleaching of Non-Ferrous Metals from Arsenic-Bearing Sulfide Concentrate

Abstract:

Tank bioleaching of substandard arsenic-bearing sulfide copper–zinc concentrate, containing 1.70, 6.22, and 7.30% of arsenic, copper, and zinc, was performed. The concentrate contained pyrite, chalcopyrite, tennantite, and sphalerite. Bioleaching was performed at 40°C using a mixed culture of acidophilic microorganisms in two modes. In the first mode, pulp density was 10%, while in the second it comprised 15%. Bioleaching made it possible to extract 17 and 70% of copper and zinc in the first mode, and 15 and 72% of copper and zinc in the second mode. The results obtained that bioleaching can be an effective approach to remove zinc from substandard copper-zinc concentrates. At the same time, copper minerals, including arsenic-bearing mineral tennantite, may be comparatively resistant to bioleaching, so requires the development of novel hydrometallurgical approaches for effective processing.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 299)
• Pages: 1064-1068
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.299.1064
• Online since: January 2020
• Authors: Aleksandr Bulaev*, Vitaliy Melamud, Anna Boduen
• Keywords: Acidophilic Microorganisms, Arsenic, Biohydrometallurgy, Copper-Zinc Sulfide Concentrates, Tennantite

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