A METHOD FOR EVALUATING THE PROPORTION OF FREE AND ATTACHED BACTERIA IN THE BIOLEACHING OF CHALCOPYRITE WITH THIOBACILLUS-FERROOXIDANS

Authors
ESCOBAR B JEDLICKI E WIERTZ J VARGAS T
Citation
B. Escobar et al., A METHOD FOR EVALUATING THE PROPORTION OF FREE AND ATTACHED BACTERIA IN THE BIOLEACHING OF CHALCOPYRITE WITH THIOBACILLUS-FERROOXIDANS, Hydrometallurgy, 40(1-2), 1996, pp. 1-10
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Metallurgy & Metallurigical Engineering
Journal title
Hydrometallurgy → ACNP
ISSN journal
0304386X
Volume
40
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
1996
Pages
1 - 10
Database
ISI
SICI code
0304-386X(1996)40:1-2<1:AMFETP>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
A method for evaluating the proportion of bacteria attached to mineral sulfides is presented. The method is based on the determination of th e rate of ferrous iron oxidation by attached bacteria on the mineral s urfaces. The values obtained with this procedure are in agreement with measurements of attached bacteria using bacteria grown with radioacti ve (C-14) NaHCO3. The methodology was used to evaluate the fraction of bacteria attached to chalcopyrite during bioleaching of this sulfide. It was observed that a significant fraction of the bacteria grow atta ched to the mineral.