This research work has developed a processing technology for full oxidation of the biocake from gold-arsenic flotation concentrate with high pyrrhotite content by neutrophilic association of microorganisms, which oxidize elemental sulphur and antimony sulphide at a high rate. Biocake, which is produced as a result of oxidizing the sulphides in the flotation concentrate at pH 1,7 – 1,9 by acidophilic bacteria of chemolithotrophic microorganisms and containing around 3%-5% of elemental sulphur, is then fully oxidized by association of neutrophilic bacteria at рН 7,0-8,0.
The ability of neutrophilic bacterium association to destruct thiocyanates and cyanides was found when working with oxidation of elemental and sulphide sulfur in biocake [1]. It was used for microorganisms association selection, which will oxidize thiocyanates and cyanides in liquid CIL tails of Olimpiada gold recovery plant. Originally selection occurred in laboratory reactors in periodical and later in continuous operation with thiocyanate content of 400-500 ml/l. Molasses in concentration of 0,5 g/l used as a source of carbons. After thiocyanates and cyanides stable oxidation in laboratory conditions the process was transferred to larger reactors (capacity of 2,2 m3). As a result of the research, rhodanides concentration reached 1800 mg/l. During the research rhodanides concentration was reduced from 1800 mg/l to 0,02 mg/l and cyanides concentration was reduced from 20 mg/l to 0,01 mg/l. Oxidation took 24 hours. Microbiological researches with application of molecular genetic analysis have shown that in the selected thiocyanate destructive association prevail the following strains: Pseudomonasaeruginosa, Stenotrophomonasmaltophilia and Enterobacter.
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