Microbial reduction of iron ore

Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:867178

Hoffmann, Michael R ^[1]; Arnold, Robert G ^[1]; Stephanopoulos, Gregory ^[1]

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1. Pasadena, CA

A process is provided for reducing iron ore by treatment with microorganisms which comprises forming an aqueous mixture of iron ore, microorganisms operable for reducing the ferric iron of the iron ore to ferrous iron, and a substrate operable as an energy source for the microbial reduction; and maintaining the aqueous mixture for a period of time and under conditions operable to effect the reduction of the ore. Preferably the microorganism is Pseudomonas sp. 200 and the reduction conducted anaerobically with a domestic wastewater as the substrate. An aqueous solution containing soluble ferrous iron can be separated from the reacted mixture, treated with a base to precipitate ferrous hydroxide which can then be recovered as a concentrated slurry.

• Research Organization: California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AS03-83ER13125; AM03-76SF00767
• Assignee: California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4880740
• OSTI ID: 867178
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/435/
200
anaerobically
aqueous
aqueous mixture
aqueous solution
base
comprises
comprises forming
concentrated
concentrated slurry
conditions
conducted
containing
domestic
effect
energy
energy source
ferric
ferrous
ferrous hydroxide
ferrous iron
forming
hydroxide
iron
maintaining
microbial
microbial reduction
microorganism
microorganisms
microorganisms operable
mixture
operable
period
precipitate
preferably
process
provided
pseudomonas
pseudomonas sp
reacted
recovered
reducing
reducing iron
reduction
separated
slurry
soluble
solution
solution containing
source
sp
substrate
time
treated
treatment
wastewater