Minerals 2018, 8(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/min8010004
Co-Bioleaching of Chalcopyrite and Silver-Bearing Bornite in a Mixed Moderately Thermophilic Culture
1
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
2
School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 22 October 2017 / Revised: 4 December 2017 / Accepted: 20 December 2017 / Published: 26 December 2017
(This article belongs to the Collection Bioleaching)
Abstract
Chalcopyrite and bornite are two important copper minerals, and they often coexist. In this study, the co-bioleaching of chalcopyrite and silver-bearing bornite by mixed moderately thermophilic culture at 50 °C was investigated. The bioleaching results show that the extraction percentage of Cu for co-bioleaching of chalcopyrite (Ccp) and silver-bearing bornite (Bn) (Ccp/Bn = 3:1) was 94.6%. Compared to bioleaching of chalcopyrite or silver-bearing bornite alone, the Cu extraction percentage was greatly enhanced when they were bioleached together. The leaching residues were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Silver-bearing bornite dissolved preferentially compared to chalcopyrite, due to galvanic interactions. Simultaneously, Ag+ was released from the silver-bearing bornite into solution. Ag2S formed on the surface because Cu and Fe in the chalcopyrite were replaced by Ag+, accelerating chalcopyrite dissolution and enrichment of Ag on the surface of the chalcopyrite. View Full-TextKeywords:
co-bioleaching; chalcopyrite; bornite; galvanic interaction; silver-catalyzed
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Yang, C.; Jiao, F.; Qin, W. Co-Bioleaching of Chalcopyrite and Silver-Bearing Bornite in a Mixed Moderately Thermophilic Culture. Minerals 2018, 8, 4.
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