Rn. Kar et al., BIOLEACHING OF LATERITIC NICKEL ORE BY ULTRASOUND, Metallurgical and materials transactions. B, Process metallurgy and materials processing science, 27(3), 1996, pp. 351-354
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Material Science","Metallurgy & Metallurigical Engineering
The bioleaching of nickel from lateritic ore of Orissa, India, using a
native Aspergillus niger strain was studied with and without ultrasou
nd. Different parameters, such as spore concentration, amount of dextr
ose in the medium, pulp densities, and sonication time, were studied f
or maximizing the extraction of nickel. Enhanced recoveries and reduct
ion in leaching time were demonstrated using ultrasound. The highest a
mount of nickel, 95 pct, was extracted in 14 days with an inoculum siz
e of 10(6) spore/mL and 2 pct dextrose in the medium under 30 minutes
ultrasonic pretreatment using 43 KHz frequency at 1.5 W/cm(2) intensit
y. It was also found that ultrasound assists in selective leaching of
nickel over iron.