Bioleaching of Minerals
Bioleaching is the term used to describe the microbial dissolution of metals from minerals. The commercial bioleaching of metals, particularly those hosted in sulfide minerals, is supported by the technical disciplines of biohydrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, chemistry, electrochemistry, and chemical engineering. The study of the natural weathering of these same minerals, above and below ground, is also linked to the fields of geomicrobiology and biogeochemistry. Studies of abandoned and disused mines indicate that the alterations of the natural environment due to man's activities leave as remnants microbiological activity that continues the biologically mediated release of metals from the host rock (acid rock drainage; ARD). A significant fraction of the world's copper, gold and uranium is now recovered by exploiting native or introduced microbial communities. While some members of these unique communities have been extensively studied for the past 50 years, our knowledge of the composition of these communities, and the function of the individual species present remains relatively limited. Nevertheless, bioleaching represents a major strategy in mineral resource recovery whose importance will increase as ore reserves decline in quality, become more difficult to process (due to increased depth, increased need for comminution, for example), and as environmental considerations eliminate traditional physical processes such as smelting, which have served the mining industry for hundreds of years.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - SC
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-99ID-13727
- OSTI ID:
- 912323
- Report Number(s):
- INEEL/JOU-02-01638; TRN: US200801%%760
- Journal Information:
- The Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology, G. Bitton and R.S. Burlage, Editors, J. Wiley and So, Journal Name: The Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology, G. Bitton and R.S. Burlage, Editors, J. Wiley and So
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CHEMISTRY
COMMINUTION
COPPER
DISSOLUTION
DRAINAGE
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
GOLD
HYDROMETALLURGY
MINERAL INDUSTRY
MINERAL RESOURCES
PYROMETALLURGY
RESERVES
SMELTING
SULFIDE MINERALS
URANIUM 228
WEATHERING
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
bioleach
biooxidation
chemolithotroph
Leptospirillum ferrooxidans
sulfide