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Title: Microbial reduction of iron ore

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Pasadena, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
867178
Patent Number(s):
4880740
Assignee:
California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
DOE Contract Number:  
AS03-83ER13125; AM03-76SF00767
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
microbial; reduction; iron; process; provided; reducing; treatment; microorganisms; comprises; forming; aqueous; mixture; operable; ferric; ferrous; substrate; energy; source; maintaining; period; time; conditions; effect; preferably; microorganism; pseudomonas; sp; 200; conducted; anaerobically; domestic; wastewater; solution; containing; soluble; separated; reacted; treated; base; precipitate; hydroxide; recovered; concentrated; slurry; comprises forming; aqueous mixture; solution containing; aqueous solution; energy source; concentrated slurry; microbial reduction; ferrous hydroxide; reducing iron; microorganisms operable; ferrous iron; pseudomonas sp; /435/

Citation Formats

Hoffmann, Michael R, Arnold, Robert G, and Stephanopoulos, Gregory. Microbial reduction of iron ore. United States: N. p., 1989. Web.
Hoffmann, Michael R, Arnold, Robert G, & Stephanopoulos, Gregory. Microbial reduction of iron ore. United States.
Hoffmann, Michael R, Arnold, Robert G, and Stephanopoulos, Gregory. Sun . "Microbial reduction of iron ore". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867178.
@article{osti_867178,
title = {Microbial reduction of iron ore},
author = {Hoffmann, Michael R and Arnold, Robert G and Stephanopoulos, Gregory},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1989},
month = {1}
}