Bioleaching of a Cobalt-Containing Pyrite in Stirred Reactors: a Case Study from Laboratory Scale to Industrial Application

Morin, Dominique; d’Hugues, Patrick

doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34911-2_2

Cited by 57 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…One way to perform bioleaching is the continuous stirred tank reactor technology (CSTR). It is a commercial reality for the treatment of refractory gold ore concentrates (Arrascue and van Niekerk 2006;van Aswegen et al 2007), but has also been used in one case for the treatment of a cobalt-rich pyrite concentrate (Morin and d'Hugues 2007). Bioleaching in CSTR represents an attractive alternative to conventional roasting or pressure oxidation techniques because it offers several advantages: operational simplicity, lower capital and operating costs, environment friendliness and suitability for the treatment of complex and low grade ores Watling 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between bioleaching performance, bacterial community structure and mineralogy in the bioleaching of a copper concentrate in stirred-tank reactors

Spolaore

Joulian

Gouin

et al. 2010

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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Hugues. Relationship between bioleaching performance, bacterial community structure and mineralogy in the bioleaching of a copper concentrate in stirred-tank reactors. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Springer Verlag, 2011, 89 (2) The experiments undertaken to produce the techno-economic data were also an opportunity to carry out more fundamental research. The objective of this work was to combine the results of the bioleaching experiments, in terms of copper recovery, with the results of bacterial community monitoring and mineralogy residue analysis.Batch and continuous bioleaching tests were carried out with 10% solids, at 42 °C and with a pH between 1.2 and 1.6. Final copper recovery was higher in batch cultures than in continuous mode (>95% vs. 91%). Mineralogical analysis showed that the limiting factor for copper recovery was incomplete chalcopyrite dissolution in both cases. However, chalcopyrite was even less dissolved in continuous conditions. This was also related to a variation in bacterial community structure. The population in all tests was composed of Acidithiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum and one or two species of Sulfobacillus (thermosulfidooxidans and sometimes benefaciens) but Sulfobacillus and more generally sulphur oxidizers were more represented in batch mode.It was proposed that, due to their capacity to reduce inorganic compounds, sulphur oxidizers may be efficient in limiting chalcopyrite surface hindering. It may help to better dissolve this mineral and reach a better copper recovery.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between bioleaching performance, bacterial community structure and mineralogy in the bioleaching of a copper concentrate in stirred-tank reactors

Spolaore

Joulian

Gouin

et al. 2010

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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“…However, this represents a greater capacity than the one of current bioleaching installations. For example, the BIOX operations treat gold concentrate flowrates between 13 000 and 320 000 t/y (van Aswegen et al, 2007) and the Kasese cobalt production plant is oxidizing 82 000 t/y of pyrite concentrate (Morin et d'Hugues, 2007). It is worth noting that above 200 000 to 250 000 t/y capacity, bioleaching processes (more particularly Biocop process) tend to reach their limits of application when compared to smelting (Clark et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The culture used in this study originated from a mixture of two consortia cultured for many years on both a cobaltiferous pyrite and a copper concentrate (d 'Hugues et al, 2003;Morin and d'Hugues, 2007). It was subcultured several times in batch mode on the polish copper concentrate before being used as an inoculum in the continuous test.…”

Section: Bioshale-brgm Bacterial Consortiummentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioleaching of an organic-rich polymetallic concentrate using stirred-tank technology

et al. 2009

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The bioleaching of a concentrate produced from a black shale ore in an industrial operation in Poland was assessed. Following preliminary batch culture tests, processing in continuous conditions was tested to determine the main specifications for the application of the stirred-tank technology to this organic-rich polymetallic concentrate.The experimental work was carried out in a laboratory-scale unit consisting of 3 stirred tanks (50L or 20L) using an acidophilic and moderate thermophilic bacterial population (42°C). Different configurations of the unit and key operating parameters were tested (nutrient medium composition, solids concentration, agitation and aeration rates). The analysis of both bacterial community structure and mineralogical characteristics of the concentrate and the bioleach residues were implemented in order to better understand the chemical and biochemical reactions occurring in the system. Using the data produced during the continuous operation, downstream processing assessment for both copper and silver recovery was also carried out. 1The best copper recovery obtained in the continuous operation was 92% and a hot brine leaching of the bioleach residue (PLINT process) allowed to recover 92% of the silver.Copper and silver recoveries seemed to be limited by incomplete chalcopyrite dissolution. A preliminary techno-economic evaluation of the concentrate bioprocessing including bioleaching, copper and silver recoveries demonstrated the potential economic feasibility. Recovery of silver plays an important role in the economy of the process. This study presents promising values to further investigate the bioprocessing option.

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“…Nevertheless, base-metals processes have been developed to pilot and demonstration scale for the bioleaching of copper ( Figure 5), nickel and zinc sulfide concentrates using mesophiles, moderate thermophiles and thermophiles [128,[182][183][184][185][186] and a process for the extraction of Co from pyrite concentrate has been commercialised [187].…”

Section: Technology Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Biohydrometallurgical Metals Extraction from Polymetallic Mineral Resources

Watling

2014

Minerals

137

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This review has as its underlying premise the need to become proficient in delivering a suite of element or metal products from polymetallic ores to avoid the predicted exhaustion of key metals in demand in technological societies. Many technologies, proven or still to be developed, will assist in meeting the demands of the next generation for trace and rare metals, potentially including the broader application of biohydrometallurgy for the extraction of multiple metals from low-grade and complex ores. Developed biotechnologies that could be applied are briefly reviewed and some of the difficulties to be overcome highlighted. Examples of the bioleaching of polymetallic mineral resources using different combinations of those technologies are described for polymetallic sulfide concentrates, low-grade sulfide and oxidised ores. Three areas for further research are: (i) the development of sophisticated continuous vat bioreactors with additional controls; (ii) in situ and in stope bioleaching and the need to solve problems associated with microbial activity in that scenario; and (iii) the exploitation of sulfur-oxidising microorganisms that, under specific anaerobic leaching conditions, reduce and solubilise refractory iron(III) or manganese(IV) compounds containing multiple elements. Finally, with the successful applications of stirred tank bioleaching to a polymetallic tailings dump and heap bioleaching to a polymetallic black schist ore, there is no reason why those proven technologies should not be more widely applied.

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Bioleaching of a Cobalt-Containing Pyrite in Stirred Reactors: a Case Study from Laboratory Scale to Industrial Application

Cited by 57 publications

References 14 publications

Relationship between bioleaching performance, bacterial community structure and mineralogy in the bioleaching of a copper concentrate in stirred-tank reactors

Relationship between bioleaching performance, bacterial community structure and mineralogy in the bioleaching of a copper concentrate in stirred-tank reactors

Bioleaching of an organic-rich polymetallic concentrate using stirred-tank technology

Review of Biohydrometallurgical Metals Extraction from Polymetallic Mineral Resources

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