CHAPIER IO

PRINCIPLES, MECHANISMS AND DYNAMICS

OF CIIALCOCITE HEAP BIOLEACHING
JOCHEN PETERSEN] AND DAVID C. DIXONT
Dqafln.nt oJ Ch? i.at Ensinznihs. Uni{sitr of CaP? To\|
'
Pi de aas Ronlebosch 7701
S.u1h Alrica E tuil:
iothen.Pete6e
@u.t.a...a
1
Deparh.nt of Moktiah Ensineai
s
u ire$itt ol Btitish Cotunbid 3A9 ds1 Stores Rand
Vau)upr, B.C. V6T 121. Canadd- E nail: di\an@i tcrcha\e ub. c4
1. INTRODUCTION
Heap laching is a well established nining technologv thal involves slacking croshed
ore inlo piles constructed on an imperneable layer fitted with a sohrtion drainage
syslem, ;r ananged on a slope to facilitate drainage. In manv cases the ore is
agglomerated through tumbling with acid and/or inigation solution prior to stacking
aolution is ilTigated (continuously or inlermittenlly) over the top surface of the heap
and left 1o sep through the ore bed where it can react with the targel minerals Dissolved
metals are then tnnsported wilh the flowing solution to the bottom of the heap from
wherc they are removed via the drainage sysiem into a collection pond as the pregnant
leach solulion
(PLS). The target metal
js
removed from the PLS tbrough a suitable
lechnology (by solYenlextraction. cementation oradsorption). and ihe barcn solution
(usually refered to as the raffinate) returned to the top surface of the heap'
The technology has been in use since the 1960's for ihe acid leaching of
copper oxide minerals, and since the 1970's for the cyanide leaching of gold and
silver. A related technology. dump leaching, is based on the same principtes as
beap leachi.g, but usuatly uses uncrushed run-of-mine (ROM) mat'erial. usuallv
coniaining sulfide mjnerals, or spent residue from leached heaps with a mineral
grade too low to war-rant further processing. Anv additional metal liberated in a
dump contributes to addilional revenue of tbe
'nining
operation. but dump leaching
is rarely the primary method of metal extraction.
It was in copper sulfide dump leach operations that the potential for bioleaching
micro-organjsns was first realized (Bierley. 1997i Olson e, dl, 2003). As the
organisms inyolved occur naturally, no extemal intervention is needed to sustain
193
E.R. D.ndi a d ll Santl
(etls.), Miu.bkl Pnr?s\ks oJ Mc,a/ s,lrddr' 193 218'
l9l
rlrl1 R\trN /\Nt) rx\(,N
rl( .:i,wtlr
sUt\.1tr.,Ir.).tr...rt,hi,n,.u.triljr,,li,tIr(r
\uttrt(IIrr.r.,t..r\,rt,r1Irrr)
r'<rh,,J liIn(rJl r\lrrrti.,I \r,r, rnrr,du!.J trr\t : I L,, Agurr,( ,n
CtritL. r tqxr, Jni
then in numerous other {)peralions tiorn rhe early l990is (Brierley,
1997). hi;;
,rme \.ein :r\.ontcnrion!t
o\r,te heJt tedching. rm.rr.d ana ,gg,o-erur.,t
;re i,
'lu.
keJ inlo pile. and rnieJled wilh ret vcteJ Jcid ,utulion. ln d,tdilion, rrr i\ htown
riroughtipe,placedunderneJlhthehedploen:urerrudy:unpt\,,,oxvlenanJCO.
rh,,,ushour In ,ome rJ,e\ i,,ocutdrion i. prJc,ned rnd rh. m;cr,,hiai ;",iron.enj
r\ ennante0 b) rddrlr,rn ot nurrienr mdrenat ru lhe ieed soturron. bur in gcnerat
microbial
$owrh
in bio heaps proceeds
narura y with liire exremal inrerienrion
(Schnell. 1997).
He,tp bioleaching rcsutrs in ihe oxiilative dissolution of sulfide minerais. Indus
hially this is practiced ir two main applications, the a;*r,,ti", ,,f py.;t"-rra
tusenopyrite in refraclory gotd ores to libcrate cyanide leachable gold. ;rnd trre
dissolution of copper from sutride minenls. Biolosic.r airr"rrti", .r J.fp".
",,rrii.
minerals occrn also in dumpr, although ihe lack of anificial aerattun tentls to limii
the extenl of this. Fuahermore, acid rcck draimge (ARD) can. in a sense. be seen
as a natural dump bioleaching pIocess.
2. CHALCOCITE HEAP BIOLEACHING
IN PRACTICE
H pbrol chrngolchrho.rrcr.u
s,o ginfled tromJcrdiczchrntsol
cofpero\ide
mrner.Jl.. uhi.h. Jue ro rhe g.utogi,Jt
ndrure otmdn)
"opp",
ori toai... L,.u"tty
conlain a certain pr oportion olcoppersulfides.
Many *pp., a.p,"ir" *."i",,f fry..',
"r,,one.conrdinrn!
predomirJnrtv
o\rdr, rbro. hrnrire.,n,'"r,,i., rrry-.orr,...,,pi,,..
p/,.
). rnrertarn h)./om.rtu i.hed wirh.e. nndd)
copper.u[rde. r(hrtco. ire..o!;j,rrc.
l""lll,i."l,
L,,d r,n,,
)
b) ron6 conr.,,nrng pflmdrity (hJlcop)rire.
rhe\r t
le,:
<no$
J (onrrnuou,
rrJn,irion ald hence o\ide ore, atu r1: har e a ren"in ponron or
secondary sulfides present.
Likewisc. chalcoci
,arery'pure'butmayarso*,','";p;;;;-,;.J:,"i:;:,::'rXil.T'ili:[T:iix"I
A, \tateJ 0bo\e. chJlcocire hedt b,otea(hjng d. r r:na-t,,ne
*rtfurion
lechnolug) brgjn ru devetup rn rhe eJrlv taqn.s prirnJrit)
rn Chite. uher< rr i, ,liii
donnnJnrrodi).lherechnot,,gli,nowJt,oprrc
c.drnperu.Au.trdti,,
rh(LSA,
(
hrno rnJ-M)d rnar no i. bernB expt,red n nurnerous orhfl tocarinn, (OI.on
ct al., 2N3., Rawlings ?r d1., 200jj Ruan .. al. 2005). Thus,
j.
r.r.,
"i.;;i
tonnage prcduced
and revenue gene.ated.
chalcocire heap bioleaching is by far the
Lrre{ ,,ppli.rrron ui broter(h )g rechnojogv pre.(nr.
Uper,,Iondl
trrcrtre
vJrie. c,,n\rder:b.y. w h heJp, hurtt J. dr\(rerc n ,,,n
pi,J\ or h) conrrnuou. JdJiIon. silh tiir, ndr[eJ,,n top ot o e Jnorher. He p/tiir
height vffies lion 6 to t2 m. The ore narerial is typ;.riry
"-rr,.a
tn U: n,i,rrd
agglomerared wirh acid ar)d/or rafftuale, eirher on conveyor behs o. in lggt(nr)crrliorl
drun'. Jn,l .lockrJ
eirhcr b) tru( k or conv..),,r b tl a..,,ru," ,rr,,*,,r, p,p," f.,,,f ,,,,
und(rneJlh rhe h.Jp r\ n,,tr .t,,
d.,rt.
^ur
.n.r.rrr,,n ,..,h\ r.u) tr,rr) .,.
jr
t.. .,. fi r,\
r,, )\ rnrRh $.'rn /rn,4r- h,1r,,ti,,r r. t)t)r.rr,) ,t,rh.rt ,rrrtr,t,rt,
tirr.\ \lr,:nt,,\rr
lh,.lx.rt{r .(1 \ L.tnt,t,,rrr,t,.h.
rj.r,,I),i
itt.,L,{rt,,tr,ll. r t .r:i,rkrr I .r,\
l'lrlNtll'lls(rrll'\l(rnlllllli^l'lrloll,\tlllN(i
1t)\
nngc lronr 5 lo 20 I-lrn'/lt lfliN li{ resl
'yclcs 'rc
PLtr'liccd
in so re oPcttrliorrs'
Chaicoeirc hcaps gencrrlly dcDxnrst,rrc o'lv linrilcd hcar gcncrrrion with clllucrrl
und sr,l,*,,iic" re,npe."rulrs rarelv cxceeding 25'C, unlcss thcre is x signiiictmt
oLesen"".r'rlr,"L.rlei
pyrite which..rn be oxidiT'd' In operatbns at high altilude
i.l i,, ,r,. Ctir.,,
qnoe'r
rrre r,-p
'urrdce
i"omerime"overe'l
$rrh pla'rrc
,r,""" *,,,r",."
\hield. lor hear rerenrron
'lurrng
lhe nitshr' Heap c)rle rrmes
vaf wltrr operario'ar
praclice. mineral grade and composition but usuallv are in
the order oi8 months to 2
vears.
Copper extractions achieved are usually around
807. for ores containing predoninantlv chalcoc e
Active inoculation ;iih bacteria does nol appear to be common practice' but
occurs usually through the agglomeration
process with bacteria contained in the
rrffinate. or alrcrnatively ba;lerial
populalions begin to lhrive naturallv in lhe
Ir."p
"rt..
r",". iime. Little. if any. microbiological
maintenxnce is pracliced'
it ,i."""'1r",;." of the microbial ecolosv in chalcocile heaps has revealed the
nre\ence oi 4,,drrr,nrn, ilt r
tt
l n
t\;d\t4\. Atdilhinbnrith
\ t
'
d!\ and I Pl'tul'it
iit,- t,',il,t,*
J' uell a' cefldrn rlF' ol arthrea rDemersrs"
'1
a/" 2001'
Hawkes er d1.. 2006).
As is well known, the principal mechanism of bioleaching is the oxidation
of ferrous to fenic non (wirh concomitant reduclion of oxvgen) which serves
as the ,neiabolic energy source lbr certain tvpes of micro-organisms'
such as
A, tJthinti illtt\
['
tno\tti,tr'. or l.rldrrirrl/"]
'lecrer
(l)
,lFe}
+Or+4H+
+ 4Fer++2HrO
The ferric irolr. in tum. effecls the oxidative dissolution ofcetain sulfide minerals'
inciudlng cr,,rcocite. Laching of chalcocite by tenic iron io sulfate solution
procceds by a two stage mechanism. whercbv rhe firsr stage:
(2\ curs+ l.6Fer+ + 0.8cu1+ + l.6Fcr+ +
(cu
rs)
relcases about 407, of the iniiial copper and produces a covellilelike material
{BolorunJuro. lqqq) Ho$e\rr. lhi' i' rh a
'lorchiomcrac
rompound J\ lhe
';-;;"
"".'
rhrouqh r number ol Inr mediare' irom Cu
'
S Io Cu
I
s
ii"r,".u.
-rSSll.
du-nne which I dramatic change in densitv and signif
icanr disintegration of the miDeral grains o""'rrc The "covellite" then reacts
(3) (cuLrS) +2.4Fe'+
-
l2Cu?r+2'lFer++s'i
Th. kinctics ol lhe two stages arc quitc different' wilh sttrge I proceediog
r:','tr!lt t\Lrr,,r rix 4 trrnNrrrrrrc r\hrbtlin! I r(l:rrr!el\ lo$ scrr\r'rion enrrg)
,"1,i,.:, ,',,," l r., :< tt/rn,,l 1,,.\L h.n ..F{r<(lr R.rre L$' Jscrihr rhe
Lcacrnrr
'"rrghly
rts fir\l o d in lcn'i' irorr conc' lrrti(nr
(Bolorundu!1'j 1999)
196
tlr RS|.N ,\Nt) txt()N
l-lh r,,t..,r .r.r!..
I tL.itr.t r,,. ,,n rtn. ,,ltn.r
hrDJ. r. \t,,u .,r .,.,,t{. lr[,nd
jl,,l
.l"r
il: !,, J(,,!arii, cnerp\ L h,sh.r ru,, kr/nri ;i;.;;.,;].1';
orumJnc acceterdrion
of rhc reaLfion
ar hict
t::.1,_,l;
:: ;;;;;;;,i.,;
i
jii'
:l;.1,'l:;
:I;::1,l;.l,1]:1
:::l ;] :,i;
".1:,:'T,l::rll.:'":olidation
reaclnn rrrhd,e been
qejr
,e,edrcheJ
(see ror
ct ot.. 2006\. The o\)gen required ror rhi. reacrron .ome, rrom
heap aerarion. rhe ,equired Jcrd. on rhe orher han,l. ,^, t" *rpr"a .iii.,
"i
i,
the feed sorurion, or else rhrough the bio_oxidarion
of py.i .
"a;i;;;i
i;if*,
'.,
(4) 2FeS,
+ I50,
+2H.O + 2Fe2(SOr)r
+2H,SO
(s)
2so +3or +2H:o + 2H:soi
-1l,l"lgl
ln: l":,",*:oncernins
rhe kinerrL\ or bioreachins r\ e\ren\,\e, mosr
w, n ,u\, rncu.m on lant ler(hing pror esc, mrrnrained under con.lanr condilrons.
:l i,Xp "i,,Tc.on.rhe
orher hdnd man) pdrdmerer.,uch
J, remperarure,
oH.
ll"
r,
llg
(9.
","11,!,tiry
dre nor wel.onrr.led
.,nd may in ra.r ri,nr, .ii"l,.
,:::,:)1":,1*
y.o r rre. rundJmenrar
nuJy hr, been Jirecied dr aer".min,ng
uio-
o\roafton
rrnetrc. under hedf cond ,on. rOtumu // a/. 2000,
3. FUNDAMENTAL
PRINCIPI,ES
OF HIJAP BIOLEACHING
l"lTj 5:t ].ll
n,*
:ppeffs
ro be a \eo ,impre proce*
,n concep,. rhe .ub-
prc'esses riKrng price u ilhi rhe ore bed a, the ,oturion
rnckles rhrougii rre rarher
::ll!lin9
rh:rr
Tteraclions
not yerrully
undersro"a.
o**, ai",i,gii,h;i*;.;
processes
ranging from the maffo- to the mn.
ioi-* a
p"i,*i',
zooi;."
-* "
*
"'c
nxlro-scale
as is illustfared in Fisure I
Ar rhe macro scale, i.e. at the scate of the enlire heap. teaching is govened
primarily hy rrirnspon ,,r
muss und enerc! i
"..,,,..
rvi-.
"p..i,i."ri,';**
,;:,;,j:'"
'|nro'
rhrough.
dnd ou, or rhe herp
.
Soluriun flow. tn uhflurared.
coJr.et) granut:r pdrted hed,,oturion
senera v
,,ow\ J,ong lonuou. pJthsr) \ but remrins:rrgninr
i, p*-
"",t.*,
".,i."*,
pJni.lr,-
Thi\ ,trong\
rnfluen,es heap
[,ertormrnce rn lerm. otrex!enr detircrv
ano pro,luct remo!al fiom the reicrion.ires
w hjn lhe ore pafliclej
.
Hearfllu:He
ot reJcrion.uhrchr.rgnrticJnrin.Ulrrdcteaching.isrr.rn.ported
Ihroutsh rhe heap dotr nward asen,ibte-hear
* rrh rh. no*i,s,,lrii._
_a ,,,"*,.i
d. larenr hezr \ irh rhe .,,s ot humid Jrr. D.p*.,,g
";;tr;;
,;;;;".i;;;
i"_,i)
h""p. .r, ,*rr. .enarn rempemrure
rror.ire..
""a,"a"i,r.
."rirrl,i;""
u|flc\e vrflrnre\ ma) e\en alloq a reflain degree,,tc,,ntrot.
.
Ga,flos.
qtthourh
gi\ flowi.u,uJjtl qe
drrlbured inaerrredheno,.en{,nn,
anprc .uppr) .t o\)gen rhruuchi,ut.
rhe. ppjy or CO ,nJy hr r,iri,"a,,,.r.i
:crra]n
c?nrlrron\ rn un.rerxr.J
h .rp. o x!xrrrhitrr!
Iiry,i,,, r," r,,,i,."r.,,,.r
lrr\
or\nrhulr,n
t.rltrrn\, L (r
nfl(1
tl N( lt11\ ol rr,\rr {n lll lll l,lrli)l r ]\( rrrN(l t<)1
-srrr/nr,1w1
IllN tlii
ffi*t
,[]"".
;;H
FiAxr. /. Schcmfiic Epre\entation .f sub-prGeses in heal biolea.hin! (ad.pted from Dixon &
Thc next level. at the nreso-scale, represents a olusler ol particles. Here. ihree
proccsses or groups of
t(Ecsses
contribute to lhe overall rate ofleaching:
. Gds (O, .rod CO.) uptrkc liom the gas into the liquid phase. This is a simple
n ss lr.rrslcr slct- lhc rrlc ol which is dcternrincd prim:rrily by temperalurc. but
which re(loircs nrcisurcrncrrl ol r sysl.nr s|c(il'ic tnxsil rans lir .ocl licicnl.
l9li
t,l:t t,kst,N ,\Nl) t)tx()N
.
Brr(Trnl
f,t'$rh. I{op.rrJIi, ,,nJ ,,\rJ.,lru
Ihr\ rIr,!nDJ\.(\
rhr. (.,,mnt,.!
inrerJ. rror or dr,Terenr r)pc\ or ,nic,o-o,sini\m\
, ,;.-iiil
;;, ;"]:]li;l
mrner!l ,urid.e
tr inrlude.
lhe gro\^ lh beh",,"r,
"r "r.h
,,;,tr..:,';;,;;;',;
temperaiure
and concentrarion
of dissotved
constitu"r," (".t,r,
i.;";.;;;";;
':":
o:.9 ,' cdrbon.ourLe.
erc.r. nd Jn) .ynersre,
berqee, ;.,;
"-";;;;
conc.m rnl rron ind,uliur
o\idation rercrion\.
.
Irlrr anJ inter-p rcte dillu,ion Drtru\ron
r\ the main m,,de oI Ian.nnrr ,,r
drs,,t\cJ cohr,uen . rrom and ro he mor ing,ot;;.;,;i";;;.
;";;: ;fi .;
particles,
and inro cracks and rissures within panicle,
rr,.
"n""
.r p.." a;ii""i."
on ovemll kinetics is deremined by rhe tengrh of.th. ,tiff*i., p";L_ ;;i;il;;
_
b." \i!nilicrnr
tor ,].rem. $rrh po,;.otufu,n
di\lrihurion
AI rhe ]evel ot a
qhote
or. panrcje.
ronoto,ricrt
ettecls presenr Jnother degne ot
tomple\ny
Topotog) ,ere^ ro rte ,^ay in
"ircn
m,nerat
sra,n\
(or.
mure D,eci,er\
lT.r1:ullfeslTe re,.,rin
r sinsre
ore
fann.re.
an, ,"; ;.; .".;.;;;:,il::,.;:.
u, erenr
fanrcle
\rze\.
Mineral qrains
mav
h,s,,ry ;" ;;-.p;" ;,,ill,i;;IJ:::
i;H;l :il,iili
;::I"r;,.:11;.,;
l::1,"1.,9:.,'l_0.ir0,,."
and aLce.,ihii,,)
"r,r,,,
p,"r.r-.,
a"l.irr a.*,"i,,"..,i.
me rJrger mrmrdl. Funhemore.
in to$ grdde
ores the mrnerrtoov
u,
'
e
alngue maro\ L at,o ot \ome ,ignrficance.
r, ir can rnterferc uirh min;;i
IedLhrnts rnJ biotogtrrj phenomenu.
.
Findlly. ar rhe Ie\et ,,t
a \intste
mrn(rat
tsrain
te ching i,
so!erned h\ rhe
chemi.dt dnd (tecr,ochcm,cdl
;ni.ru.r,on,
orln. g.ri" .,n'"."
i;;;;:;l;.,:i:
generally
leach by rhe oxidative action of ferric ions t"
".lr,t;-;;;
;;;;;
kineiics is a tincrion pnmarily
of remperaure (as cr,"."",..r,"a
il,i"
"ct-t*ii",
::..-,lr l,""d
,,n. c,,ncenrrarion i,i remc rJnd,ome,ime\
at\,, ,...,,, ;;:. ;"
p,,,,1,pd, rrccnanr\m\
ot \uch redcrion\.re
selt unde^rood.
e\cepr perhap:
lor
(hJlLop)
r ire. bul e\rct vatu.,
ol rhe crilrcrl parrmeler,
tor eJch \pecrfrc
cd,e rcmrin
\ubJ(cl
lo me!\uremenl
t-unher Lompticatii,n
mJy di.e when ,tiUe,enr
minirJi,
re
salvanrcd )
roupjed. J\ ,. rhe ca\e wirh ptri* u.rrg
rr*"r,
i" rn"ry'U*.
l:l1j :llT::':l: ? ":,
brorngiczr inrera(lron. w;rh erpo,ea .i*,,r .,;;..,
;,
\r,pura,eo rn rhe conlJcr lea.hing mcchanr\m I Sd[d, r al.. ]u0 rl ar. rto imoonanr,r
rhFlevel.Jlrhoughrh,r\iBnrricrn(ernheapbioter.r,r;("4.;;;,;;;"#;:;l;::
leachrng in rrnk\)hr\
nor
1er
been esrabti,ieo_
The many sub processes
tend ro interact with each olherin palems
which in most
:::.:^,1:_:":".t,",
r,, unraler inruirr\ery. e"r *.
",
,r,. *r.p,
"...,.,.,,.",r L u(utrr( ovc,arr rare conlloli g under cenirn circum,rrnce,.
ira c,,nrr,t .an
$ irch lrom onc domarn ro dnother rn lhe couhe ,,r
"r.
pra,.r;",
;.".;, ,.,,"rii,'
Y',1
-,:*,
hy \ or compte!ly.
d,dsno,ing rhe
"n".,.,,,
",",,,,
r,,i"ni.
on ovrrat, heap pertormrncc
becomc. !,nualv
rmpo:nbh.wirhor,
".,,ph,,;,;;;;
nrodeling looi.
.
Herp hJ( h modet. hrle been,le!etoperl
ovcr rh( yedr\ r, rh( rechn,,ti,") (.\,,j\r.J.
nrcr n,cuscd lo dciJ teaching,
rhcn cvnnrdt te..t
::,:t .:i ::Itr !ti
xi.J;, ;t,til:liii:
xi,.iit:1, +;.,. :tt,lillit'. :
r,t;:
l,:
rx{(.rr nr{.,'nr,n,r,,url!
intrr..\1r
t.t,c lt...,t,s,r, r,,,,,t.r ,r.,..r,1_.,,,,1
,i,...,,,,i,,",
l,t{tNr ll,l I \ I rl I llr\l
( (r
I I li lll,\l' lrl(n.lr]\l lllNli
(PelcN.tr & l)ix,,lr. -ll)o
lh. ll)l)6ri l)iron & l'clcrscn 20olr OgbonM
"/ 'rl'
20()5)
i"r.". ;,. r".*, {ll lhc vlrn s sub-processcs llnd comPlexiries
oullined abovc
;";i-ilki,s
any asrnnption!
d
rtrioti
as to which nre rrle detemining'
A
''*ii.,
alr,,.
",
-rnrr."rrv
i. repre'enrea nv rhe PhelPt Do'lBe C"pPer sroclpile
;:;i ;'.,;i
),
"i..
n(':l lizupsim h,' betn pprre'r in Ih( moftrints oi
i.l"-ii"ilir,i""
"r
.r,,rcocrr" lorion
& Pere''en' 20u'u ) sphdlerrrc rDiton &
i;",I^." roiu.E,.*" a Di\on. z0oobl
p)rirc {BourrJrJ' 2001I and r<cenrl} 3l'o
"--il.ii,
".
,'"rrry
""lLtrared
asainst column tests of the ore in question ln such
"*
.."-i. iir"a i". *nical tube;, usuallv 10-100 cm in diameter and 0's to l0 m
i" i.rrr,,.,"J i"nr"J
"
irh
'olurion
in imildr tu'hion ro I ull
'crle
heap operurion''
i
'i,H,,-i' ",.."*.rr)
u'e,l ro m:rke decrn"n' on rhe
"perJrins
prrdmeren oI
i,,'-...i. t'.,^..^'t * i"isariun rJre' crush
'i/e'
rempetJrure' ino'uldrron mode'
,, ii. ..r,il..r
'*r,
,..ri,'re rhen u'rd iot \lle up r" Ihe heap
"perariun'
$irh
".
*i["ritt'. r*
"r"..del.
However, the
seneral
experience is that co]umn tesrs
;il.;-;,;;;il;*"
-d
exteni or meti re'overy as Nmpared with whal k
""t]"".i
l, t""p, a."+'ed on that basis. allhoush rhis is al teast partiallv due to
i"*""., *"r;i ,p,
"ii"
explained later. Thercfore' rhe scope of columo tests io
inform the design of full-scale
processes is limited al best'
4. COLUMN TESTWORK
The following
gives a summrry descriplion of an extensive experimental
column
'',i,"Lrr-ooi,,r.*r,i"gor:rrvrital
l"{-sr dechxlcocireore
Somrolrhr'$'!k
hc. Leen rcporrerl pre'iouJy rPercrsen & Di\on' 2n0'i0' 2U04)'
4.1. Experimental
the erDerimenrdl
nud! $a' conducled rn
'hor(
'olumn'
made lrom PVC
lipe'
iri-.. i"'JL,..,.r,"i"irh
J hed heighr
"r
J0
'm'
EJch columl $r' imme''ed
i,
"
**. t",r, f".
".p.raturc
conlrol ln several experiments
I number of lhese
:;1,.; **"
-,
* *;"s. wherebv solulion from one column would be pumped'
.,"1 ."r1..,;"" tup. k, rhe ne\r
'olumn
u'ing a tnulti rhdnnel peri'ralrx pump
IJll column re.r' $ere con,lucled in o m vetrrcal
lipe''
All cllumn'
were derored
rr; tr," i.n,,. *a ,r,.
"ffluenl
drai'ed through a looped pipe to avoid
8as
short-
";..rri,,r
i,,r"".^ *". r.d from a single drip point at the top ofthe colunn' which
w"( uDen t(, lhe Jrmo(phere.
;.:,,,";;
","..,',;'..d
rrom J herf brolerch operJrr.n rn nonhern chile had
",,,,'.r';r;
n l:,rdc
'rl
l.l5r"
"p1n'i'nr"r"t1
rs
JU'' renodins dcrd so-luhle
i,,,.r,.,ii" ,,"r',r," ,*, ,',^1'1 '^ '
t'''t'"'''' Ilrr pvrir' conrcnr
qr'
Jr"und 2's%
ti,.
'','i'.t. 'ir".,^.u,
,,r,,.',hl rln lrnrtnr.t'{) rrrn'\
(olr(nr s r\ lr'''
'
Pr'or ro
.r,.1,i,,,.,.'r,,rr,.,,,rr,",,,.rlt'rr"$
'''rfi
r\1
'r('t
wrrh J Inr\rut.
"l7n
s
wJrer
,,',ri,
".,."r,".r",rr,ni.
cnl
lrr
k9
'n
(rc
r(sulrirrg in a Iinal roinrrc conlcnl
11
t{\t N ANt, t)t\oN
,,/ri / (
!,t, trr tr.nt .\t,.rrnrtrl\,rtrn,r(..d
I ll\r'
(tr
llr llrAl lrl(n l i\( lllNr;
0 20
.10
60 80
time on siron
ldaysj
/
afid
2. Cu exirtrction LJ. tinre for colunnr of diffeEnl length
-lr)l
lrir'll (1
Lrhn;
Sinlld Conrnn
shnded
Tall Colunrn
L.N lir &
(.o-
4 Coluhn
Ratfiide
sotui;;
53.57.
47.2%
,;5;*i;;*;i#xi::r
;,"*
Iiil
j
jl
lr
j;nlil
H :;x[i
;lfl
'ffi
,:l
r fl [:1,';i."
:1",:3
i*fl
;,;;;,;;t"illLlt-""-^"";i:il':L***#t::',f
:'".,,'.ti
i{ffir*fffin';ila$,5ffi
4.2.
Chalcocite
Leaching
In Standard
Laboratory
Cotumns
:J::::ilL:l;.';i.1,#:",1
',:f,,-."i:,,.,
* tuyr nandird
crpenmen.
,n a,,
*+$.-*fi***
rffi15*+#*+ffi*-
bul rapidly i,creases to net Fe prodoction once the solution potential begins to
increase. This is a slrong indication ihat some pyrite leaching occurs in parallel wilh
chrlcocite lclching. F rther evidence can be tbund in the declining pH at the later
(ages
oflhe expcrimcnt. rpFoaching the feed pH of 1.2. Although there is not net
acid generntion. this trend is nonelhcless a clear indication thai acid is produced in
the column, couDter balancing the bio-oxidation reaciion (l). which consumes acid
at all tincs. This acid is either generared tiom secondary oxidation of elenental
sulfu (produced from the stage 2 chalcocite reaciion (3)). or from pyrile oxidation,
or both. All other standard column experimenls exhibited similar behavior, with pH
;D some cases eventually falling belo$, thc feed level.
The 8 column slaDdard experimeni was sei up specifically to investigate the
prosression of dissolved constiluents (acid, Fe(II), Fe(III) xnd micro-ors:rnism, in
the solutjon as it flows down the column lhrcugh analyzing samples in lhe interim
cups. The profiles ofpH. solution potential (vs. Ag/AgCI) and microbial counis are
shown ir Figure
,l.
The expe ment was slopped after 21 days.
just
as the wave
of chaDges in solution potential began 1o break ihrough
(he
last column, io allow
analysis of the solid residues.
The pH profiles clearly show two waves. oDe early peak moving through ihe
columns duriDg dals I 7 and onc nuch brcader wave passing through belween days
8 and 20. with peak levels increasing film column io column (pH 1.4 in column I to
2.5 in column 8). In ea.h.olunrn, v,lution potentixls linger al low levels around 380
rnv ,r. Ag/AgCI li, somc rimc hcforo rnpidly rising 1() very high levels around 700
mV !r. Ag/AgCl. This polLarli.l rise prcgresses in a wave lhrough the columns
rt r mr. of rhout :10 cnr (i.e (n)c
colunrn) cvcry 2 dals. Baclerial counts aiso
indicnlc thLrl lhc nri.($irl p()tnrhli(nr progrrssc! lhft)ugh lhc cohmns in n Iiont.
!rilh h,r.rL]iul nnnrb.rs r;sirrr ro l.vrlt.r,rsi(lcr.(l rhrivins (>10/ crivc cells/nL)
in llr rt)t).r
(ohrnnrs
lirsl h.lin. ll! v
t)r(r.r(l
lil lhc,
(,own
202
PBTERSEN
AND DIXON
5
I
b)
t
a
g
*
3.5
1.0
2,5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.s
0_0
800
7@
600
s00
400
300-
20
@
120
20
@
\20
3.0
2.5
2.0
1_0
0.5
0,0
60
100
5''Ji'iJH.mf'
"""ad
6,"e exlerimor
a) Fe cotrenidioD.
b) lorurion po.ntiar.
d
PRINCIPT,US Or
(,ll^tr'(X'lTll
IIEAP B|OI-UACIINO 2t)3
\
Figzr. 4. Rdtrlls fron 8{olumn shd,rd .xp.riment !) pH prcgEsion: b) solutio. pol.ntial
prcsEssion; c) prosrsion of mimbial counts in slution
t
e
s
*
5
?
,*.*
E
E
'.oE+06
E
2t0
?
a
150
E
.: 90
+
Brcnrirl brm(rJn ongh
1+- micrubiat btorhtroustr
.rl ),t
tlirNrllr\i,l
r rl,\lr rr lll lllrAl'lr(,llA(lllN{i
lllll.tistN /\N,) tn\( )N
,.iA,ap 5, Mictubjar.
rH
and poEnrixl progression
nr erpen,ne 25
.
The progrc..Jon
or
tH.
porenllJl
drd micro orSJni\m\ are cleJrt\ ret:Icd. Ficu,r 5
pto,, rh( prosresinn
u irh Jep,h Jnd ume or rh;
n.ak ;H
;i;;,,.:;;;;:,"".
ih"
points
where the solution pore,tiar exceeds s00 mV;.. eiagCr. _a ir,"
o";.., *i,.."
the bncrerial poputation
in solulion exceeds ro, *rr,lir_.-rr,. pi,i-"[,.r,
"i_*
that the firee phenomena prog.ess
rhrough the cotum""
",
*.r.,,.1.",
;;;;;;.
4.f,. Discussion
of Standard Expriments
Appro\imrret)
t5
r0 .
ol rhe (opper
r rh. m.,reriJt re|ofl, a. rcrJ \ot ble
br,,chrnrire I pon agrlonrrdrion
"ui, ".,a,t,,
r, rrpr.ltr di,,oJred r,.,r...,,,.
.olurron
or rhe d,,!romerdre
m!,erill o, r-., *"o,rr',"i,r,i.
,.,p;;;,;i;,.i
*"'
(6)
CurSOr(OHL
+3H,SO] + 4cusor+6Hro
Yll,li-"li.lI
*o *l,n recJ .orurion.
rhe a(,J .orubrr
copFr r. .rnpr]
flu.hed
,u,,, ,ne corunn dr i rdre L.,nnr,,n,urJre
$irh rhe rrnn,,io,
ol.
"na,orur
or.,n^.
:. :h{::rull.
on,: rh. .orubre
fopper,,
ru,heo,,",,h.
h.,i.
"iii;;;,:;.,
r, c rtd ontjnJle. lrorn,,\,JJlron
ot thJJc,,crlr.
^:jl:::;:1:1"-"::l:nr(
ilon reJchins ,,i (hJrco(
ire p,occed, in rwn \rds(, rn
, r !.,,iuJro cnrumn e\pe,rmenr\
J rcni un proJu(ed
by rhe bJ(reriJ r! r;ri1 v
(
{ured during firsr-stage.h:tlcocile
leaching. rr,r.."J,u
;-s. i,rii'ir,li"i
r..rr. i . n i, Lor.umed J. .o,,n
:r, rt i, gencrJtcd
A. a Jnn*qucr(e. ; ,.f..;; .;;
,,'l
",.,"
,l'" ,orunon
xnd rh( ,edo\ pore,rr,at
,.",u,n, q,,i. r,,"
"
o,
"."
,,,.
,(n
t'.r..nlril ol .hrt.oL,te r:,pfro\imJrej) 1/U
mV r\ Ag/ASCLa,;..;,;
i;
1.1,tr. ln,
Ihr.et'te.ti.orrenmi,t,ten..inrrrJi.","rori^_,",,,"","i.^,;;,.'.
rlrhough in ticl thc oppositc is true.
.l'Ic
rLrtr .l rvhich rtri. iron
js
ge crrtcd during this pcrio(t is govcmcd hy rhe
,rle nl whi(fi rhr hrctcria (
oxidizc,i.irtrrs
iRnr..I,his in 1"", ir_inlf"c .(t;;
"
1n
,.
trurrhcr
(,1
l .(tn\. n(lt:h l(rrrl)orlurc'
nulticnl Ird suhslilrlc coDcerrlrxti(nrs'
,,.',,,u,ir',r.,r
'+\|].',:'rrlt(,..,I,
Lrrh('lrrhl'u't
irlurnrr
(\l\rtrrr''rr' rlr'' r"lr
rirn,,,,-'r,i.,,
'
,' ir,. .','1r1 ,
'(rl
r" rhc ttr(ri"n
\rrJ\' AJr'{Jitrt'r"
lqu rn'n
(l)
ir,"
"-;'a"i,.
,,r r"*""r',i, le'ric iron requitcs acid' However' bec'luse the first slage
,,i'cIra;;.i.
i;.g p-duces no elementar sulfur. and because pvrite leaching is
,
"r,ii""J
.,
.,. r, lo$ ;olu'ion purenrial' rhe onl) $ur'e or acid dunns rhr"rdse
i. Ihe le d.olurron. Thu'. bdcre'ra \'tnrrnu'
ro
"\idr/P
lerr"u' lo lenrc rron onl\
;";ii',il ,,,
,',, ol acrd. dnd rhs re'ulrs in rhe rir.r nage
"r
chrl'ocrre leJ\hing
;;;,;"i," i; ,
"""."
bJntl be)ond
qhrch
Ihe
'olurton
conEin'
\itrudll) no irid'
I"i"l,.^|.i.^* ,r,. *r,mn or iigtr pH ro""ntrrmed b) rhe dara in l-rgure'la)'
---i"
,i. *"r"
"r
,t'" ii."t srage Jaliocire leaching fiont' leaching of the.second
',;"
'.;'.ii;i.
,na
ptnre..irrn'e' since borh or rhe'e reirrion' are rerdrrrer)
.i"""
"
".0r.",
*,"p.tr,rres
lhe rale ol lemc cun'umplron i' now mu' h lo$er' .n'l
ii. ,"r,ui"" pr*,lir.ri-ts to higher levels (600 1l) 700 mv rs Ag/Ascl) here
i*iJ"r
"-1j"i"".
** rimited btlow fenous concentralions' can meet fie reduced
i..""J r- r""r. non. This explains the relativelv rapid increase in potential as
"i.*'Ji,
tt..-p.r-"nts.
The reaction
proceeds more or less homogeneouslv
."".-,t"
".i."
nrt,f,
"f,ne
column. md during second-stage chalcocite leaching
il
";;;,ii;'"
of-copper exrraction is
soverned
bv mineral kinetics ralher than
rerpent limrrari,,ns.
-?'gr'.
ilro'.",.. J
'lishr
''lump in rhe
cu lerch
(une ror rhe tall column
"'n"i,menr
,rround dav J0 Thi' phen"men"n can be e\pllined wirh lhe [iFr-
'r"i*.'rt"r"*1"
lercrr ironr etfect Erpe"menr'l eviJence
'uggen'
rhar l-ir'r-srrge
.ii.,"," r",.r,i"c *.*' o'e, no mor" rhan rhe lenslh
"l
ru"
'olumn'
rno cm)
,,,,"'
"".,i..,ii*rr.
t).
ln rhe o m co'umn rhr' uould a'counr ror onlv z
'mJll
",',,,i"
li in" s.a'm,', arrer dcrd rrn'rns onlv the lop laler
''
acrtve iniridll)'
*t"."u. rtre Ie't ot rhe \olumn i' idle lor ldck ol Jcrtl' Consequ'nrly
rhe o\emll
.." .i
"."""i.,
f*rr,i,e
to the whole column charge) becomes verv small' As
,fr" J"f*.i
"
front moves further down. 'covellire' and pyrite are lerchin in
i;;;k;. ; as this zone increases in size. so does the overall
potion of the
;;.;;.;,;it reachrns. the overrrr rare ote\rrdcriun rhus rnctea'e' rurther' once
;;;'.i;.",1. rronr ireur'. rrrrouerr. rhe enrire heap r' in r' ond''raPe reahns
^ri
ii. *-"I rate of copper extraction corresponds
ro that of the 'coveilite'
'"
""l,ir
zs,. *".".r copper errrrcrion
stJdurllv
de'line' rFrPUre 2r' Thr' i'
*en r' . ropologn al eriecr.
u here lhe e\p'Fed
'urldce
area ul lhe copFr nuneral'
;;il.d;
rvil, ti.". e.t.o, the leaching of mineral grains embedded within
;."
;;il.b'
may be limiied bv the diffusion of reagents and reaction
products
,r,-,i*r, *."*
r].*"
*a cracks, or prvented altosether bv occlusion
(explaining
-r,"
io more ttan S:c" of copper has ever been extracted from anv colomn) Fe
i,,i'""
",1""".',,,'"""ircriiir.
on rhe"rher hund' d"conunue rn rlle\penminrs
ii,.'',.", i. i ri'' I. * r,'4,.
"ru'n
ir,.,r r'r.,',rid,r,or''crrtir)r"hirrrnPro$rrd'p)rire
i.,ir'"t""t'"lrr(r't'+'(\'tn'h''hl)'h'1"'tr{JrrnrNrrlrirnl^ti(nhironlromrhc
cofpcr soll es is subsr[nirllv
(liNi ishcd'
t0 12 il
l0i,
4.4-
tIllltsl,N
ANt) t)tx()N
Chalcocitc Lcaching
Undcr COr-Limirins
Conditions
(
llAl( rx lllr lll Al'lil()l I
(
lllN(i .t0 /
1n lir. how.v.r. llt(
( ()
cotrlcrrl is only trhoul O.lT{' ol ll)xl
('l ()' (15{)
fl)Dr
( ()'
vs.2l'1, o,l. llr[s, il ll CO] treeds ro bc ir(lv)rb.d lnnn lhe irir. rhc trir sulPlv
nrte needs t(, b! considerahly lister tlran what is requncd to srtisly thc oxygc'r
{tcmnod fbr the same applicattun. Contnt iog to xbove cal'nlrtion on tlris hlsis
Nsuming an average carbon yield o10.035 mol C/mol Or and allowing ld cornllcrc
CO, uriization
-
would requnc a minimum air supplv ralc of 0933 Nnr'/nrr/lr
or;bout 4.5 limes the rate estimaled for the necessary oxvgen supplv Hencc ir
is reasonable 1() suspecl that in heap leach applications with I low aerrlioo rulcs
the supply of COr may in fact be overau rale limiting if there
'ue
no carbon:rlcs
This is suppoded funher by the results of an experiment in a second 6 Dr hll
columD on ihe orc material used in this studv. The second column was run ur)(lcr
identical conditions to the one described above, except thai the aerxtion rarc wr\
0.25 Nmr/mr,ftr
(without any enrichment with cor corresponding lo whnr is
sed at the industrial site. and what, xccording to above calculation' would h(
sufiicient for oxygen supply). Rsults from the leaching experiments are shown in
Figure 6.
As FiguLe 6 indicarcs, copper exlraction fiom bolh columns proceeds at D(trc
or less the irlentical pace until about day 35 when thev begin to divcrge' ln th'
column run under standait condilions this coincides with the day when thc polcnli'l
rapidly rises ard noticeable quanlilies of micro-organisms are found in thc elllucDr'
As discussed above. this is indicative of the narrow, acid-limited chalcocirc lionl'
which is travelirg through the column, breaking through' However' neithcr ol lhcs'
effects is obseNed in the columr run on low aeration' Microbi'tl bre'rklhrouglt
occurs m ch later (around day 60) and the potential in the cftluent ncver rises rho!(
500 mV throughout lhe experiment. Although copper exlractior follows siDril r
trends to those of the standard expe ment. it continues to lag behind by ahoul 0l
20 days. This column also produced a consistently lower effluent pH. and Fc l'!cl\
in the effluent were consistently below the 2 g/l- in the feed'
The discrepancy between the cxperiments is explained as followc Thc lirsl lo'l
of copper extraction resulled from flushing ol acid-soluble copper rnd wtrs nor
atfectid by aeration rare orCOr. This is fouowed bv the stage I phase durnrg whi'lr
leaching ofchalcocite olcurs in a rel ivelv narrow band and is governed
friDcil)trllv
by the iate of acitl supply- Howevcr. in lhe low aeration column Cor suPPlv is
piobably not sufficicnt to sust in the growlh necessarv io consumc all rviil blc
;cid. as eftluenr pH in this column st.tvs low. The band would thus be narowcr rn(l
lravel at r slower prce, c(,nmensurutc wilh CO: rvtrilabilitv. as is wiltrcsscd bv lhc
delayed brcakthrough of tnicro-organisns in lhc cftlucDr' Mie()bi'l
sn'wlh
itr llr(
wrke of thc l'ront will be trtlc.lcd even more hy n hclt o{ CO' trs lhis ronc gr)$s
l(,ogcr. tlclcc coppcr
froduclion
l.lls bchind iD thc low ticrrii(nr colunnr whik
thc.tag.' I zorrc is sl,wly l,rlclirU lh(trrgh lhc coltrrno
(hcc
lhis hrcrks lhRnr|h
(rrou (l(hy 6{)) lhc rrlc
(,1
co|Pcr lc .hiDg hce(nncs sirnihr rgrirr in holl
(rnIn'ns
(ls in(l(irlNl hy lh( \lo|cs irr lrifu!. {rr). in(li( lin8 ll.t lI( rrl' rn \lUc I lcr(hin1f
ir
()v(rirll ril.
(l(l(!rrrinirr! llk r^irlili(nr I'l pliilc rrr(l {rllrrr r'rrrrirs rll"l(11
A\ $ d\ ourtinerl abore. (h!t.ocire
hrJp bioter.hrng
u.ua y ernptuy\ turccJ irruriurr
sirh derauon rdre. in rndusrriat
heap. rJnring r.om O.rjS ro,: n
,;:;;;.1;.
lollo$inB
catcutirion
demon,rrare\
rirur rhi, uoutd be,uificienr
ro,,nol,
: ;.
o\ygcn nceded for rhe conver.ion,
rypi(Jlt) achreved in chslcocne hej.,.,
A\sume a chrtcoc e ore, onrrrning 0.8q Cu z.
(
u-S ind 1% I eS lheore,.
heap.bioreached
in d r0 m he"p
"ris00
kgrn
*.i.j;;,t,r. ,,o :
iil:i.;
to achieve 80"/o Cu exraction
after t2 montts. rrle pyrlr"
.;;,;;;;;;;;
time is esrimared at 20qd. The fottowing
overall reaOons apply,
.
(7a)
CurS
+4Fer+ + 2cur++4Fer++ao
(7b)
FeSr + l4Fer+
+ SHrO + lsFer++2soi
+l6H+
It is funher assumed rhar a Fer+ is generared
by bio_oxidation
according ro
(7.)
4Fe2
|
+ o.
1411+ * 4p.]+
n 2,r, u
Grven
.rhe
teed grJde\.
rhe in iJt chat..ocrre
toncenrrdrrorr
rmouflrj
ro 0.061 mol4g and rhe plnte
concenrrarion
to u.JJ moy(g. olcr one vear
the larseted convenion
rare woutd come ,. u0.o;;;;;,;;,'.#i:,i.:;
and 0.0667 mol*s/a for pyrite.
The rohl {remand for .",f;;;;-;;;
:::1:^:_'I :f^:1'*r-s
(7a) and (7b)
is rhen I r35 ."r F",.;;;;
;;;;
equatron (7c).
0.284 mol O.^e/,
il l1"".ll_"1i",fr.,.r, "nj
pai*,ng
aen.iry. ar rorar or r5.000 ks o,e wourd be
pra(eo per m ur heup irea, lnd henLe a ror3t
t
"q";.a
A, i,;;;;g.,;ffi
i:il::ilif,:1"::1,,1,,"1
i;'jl#'"Jff
rareot Jbour 450 Nm
/m
/d,,r0.05 Nm
/rn)h. n,,lrng rhfl
.n,,rmrl
cundir.n.
(a.
indi..areJ b) fie cdpldt lr ror ga,e. ,.r.. ro itC,na I
",,
;;;
1i:::11:l :".':'' lhti
zs+.oxfgen
''
,'', i;,;';;.'
';
;;i.t;',:
i,i:;nor;*
mJrErn,,r crrery.
rhi\ uourir,ussen
an aerarr,,n rrre nr o.2
his cafcufation
would stipulare that aeration
industriar
operational praclice
suffices ro..*.
ut*t lower erd of lhe range of
h""p H.**.,, ;;;;;;;;
il ffi;;":iJi-}
::,,,,,i:JH,?.,J.T*i1f
:"J:
supply. Autorrophic
bacteria common ro bioleaching
"ly
* CO. ;" il;;;
c.rbon source ror growrb.
rhis is either &awn froln ;.b;*" .t;;;ls
il;";.:
::l Ti'".1"1'.1r,.f.d
rrum rhe ,urroundins
,". tu*,i.
",,Ii.,
,,r .,.;:,;;:;
l;:l::1.11::
g-,i"*" b\ r4|o\riithn
and A.idithnbd,ilt ,.e",.,.,
,.r,,,;i.,l
;;
ur rrerJlure
rndrare r cdrbon
)ietd
oiUo,.2 ro ni
rnol C/rn,,io_,n,,i,
t,,,,,,.
\un
Sche,pen/eei.
Iqo6l BrecJ ,r d/. to,,,): Br,.e,t & xn\t,,r,t. Iu,,r/. .{ ;r ;,rjr.r
wo'ds. thc:rnrounl ot C(), Dccd..t is rbour:.2 ()
5Z ,,f ,f,".***
,,r:ii, ,",1,,;,.:A
llrlN( ll lrs
(,lr(ll^l( (x
llr llrr\l'lr(r.rA(llIN(i 10,)
,,," *
"i,-
ro,,r
.,,
F( /f Sck.kd to{h\oliheCo
J,mired rdulllumn h
!, , ,,,,obiJr ,oun, , , ,.r",,,
".
H,p"
".,.,,.,;,. "-,,:l
; .: ll-
"if.,".,^,,
"
h, ..rtr,n
tr
n,.tsn,,Jr.
aem,,on rchh,oo2s
Nhih
4 .: il; ;;it;;,i;l'h,
i r J, 4 -,h,J,i,, o'..r
itr lhc [,w rcr ri,)r rolunrll as l(cslcd k, hy lhc highcr
tll
(i.c less oxidali(nr
ol'clonrcnllll or
fyritic
sultu, rnd ihc k,wcr iron lcvels ir rhe ellluent (iar)site
precipit.rtn)n nrste d of surplus iron generation tiom py lc oxidntion).
Threfore it is possible that the lack of CO: afiecls primarily rhc rapid hn!
oxidalion of nage I chalccite leaching when bio-oxidalion can bccomc tutc-
limiting. The slower oxidation of second stage chalcocite remains controlle.l by its
slow m ineral oxidation kinelics. Unfortunately theexpenmeni is not tully cooclusivc
in this regard, since the rate of air suppty ;n the low aeration column was also
close to that required for oxygen demand at the given rate of leaching (but w.rs
not limiting as il would have been for COz demard). Nonetheless. the study crD
be taken as an indicalor thal low aeration rates practiced in some heap opcrrln)ns
may be limiting the overall rate of leaching more than necessary and should hc
4.5. Chalcorir Laching In High Salinity Process Solution
All standard column experimenis were run with a microbial culture grown in
the laboratory under optimal
Srowrh
conditio.s before introducing these inlo thc
columns, and the feed solution contained only rcid and iron. In real heap operaiions.
however, conditions are generally quite far removed from such an ideal situatio[.
and thus microbial suryival and efiiciency are more seriously challenged (carcir
"1dr.
1998).
Feed and effluent soluiion (raffina.e and PI-S) samples were obtained from lhc
industrial site fiom which lhe ore material had been sourced. Microbial aclivily
was low in rhe PLS and viriually nil in the raffinate. The chemial composirn,r
of the raffinate (which is the same as the PLS except that most oI the coppcr
has been removed) is given in Table 2. The concentrations of dissolved salts [c
exceptionally high, with magnesium and aiuminium alone accounting for aboul
959. of the lotal dissolved salts (TDS) at 148 g/L. Such concenlralions far excecd
7,r/. 2. Anlly7ed conrposllion ofthe ralfimtc ar rhe indunnal olnrn)n (only componenh >10 m!/1,
Elemenr Concentrarion
t.dl-l
Mg
K
l:.100
lt6
2]l
CI
I
231
tll
)l(r
I'l t{sr N l\Nt) tn\0N
k,lcrrncc lcvcls klDrlc(t ir) lhc Iilcr urc ti)r i|1nr (,xi(tj1iIA
lrk.r() itr rrinra: l]tirl,r
andRrrllh (2{)0.1) indicrrc a i,nDedi,r.
tive lbrd dcct,," ;
*;,*,;1,,i;;;, ,;;;,
;l;_
N.rrSOr soturion. tnd. nr an exrension ofthis sludy, Srri",.
")1.
lZxrS;,"1r,",, !ir.
pe.manenr
retardation
of growrh
rate ar lhis concentration
.t ru",Sit.., r,)u";,,.,
er dl (1971)
repori an adveBe effect of Al concenlrarions
exceeding r,i glr_
",
ir,"
growih
of ar unspecified (A.idi.)thiobacillus
srrarl..
,
Furihermore, the chtoride concentration
of L3 g,4_ is aiso of some conccm.
Lawson e. dl (1995)
report on adverse erTects on microbiat growrh
of chloride
troncenrarions
e\ceedrng I g/L $ rth comptetc rnhihiuon
, Z
"rf
. Sf,i.^
"
rliinni,
::Y l'll1l 1":'*1."
,r gr,,s rh rsre r
ts/L
and r
c/L
\Jcr. bur
",rr,
ro,e r..;
,trerery rnruugh
dJ prarion. Jnd permdnenr rerardatiun
ar higher concenrrartn,.
rne nrdh Larron concenlration\
re,utl fium rhe errduzl Jj*otution ol ,iti(ate
ii:r:^: lil.lll
rin rhe prc.enr
ra,e prima,ry
chr,rrrre. biorire ,,d pr,g,,;i;;;
LdmDerg. tee/ r dId the tacr lhdt lhe enlrre \ntulion iru.nrory i,.onr,nroriy
r..i.-
culated, wilh onty copper removed in solvent exrrac,;.,
_a ," p*g.. ffr".,frf_ia"
concenrration
relates primarity
.. the dissoturion of
",,"".t,"
iC,Arc,ii;;i,i
a chloride-conraining
copper oxide minerar which **." i, tl," ,* ;i, i.#
A mrLrubidl
culrure ur\
erJdua )
enrnhed ind mdinrarned in rh...i.,i-,r
u,,ditured rJriin,e ,n I \h.rter-incubrrlr
ar rs0 rpm ar i0";.';;;.
_;, i;: ;l:.':
inoculare a 4,cotumn experimenr which was run with th. .,ffira.. ,. f".,t ,;;ii";:
but underotherwise
idenricat conditions
to ihe standr.,t ._p"rt."r,. ..;"rJ;;;;.
The r.ulr, tr,,m rhe rw,, 4-c,,tumn
exleflmenr,
rre , omtred in Figure /
.
rrBure
,a
\how:
lhe copper e\lraction r,. rrne. tn b,,rh erperiinenr.
rhe trrrr
lU'. or copper exrructiol. retre\entrng ,he rin\ing o, *U *frf,f. ,
"pp"r.
,. ,"pi,jfi
nu.hed lrom rhe
(olumns.
Orer rhe nexr looa ol c,,pper errrdcrn,n. ,irgr,r, ."..*
,prnding
lo,tcg( I ierchrnts. lh( t$o e\prrimenl.
ditler,ipniticrr,ly:
t" r;".H;d;;
e\Penmenr rhr\ pha\e i. neirjy comptete with,n 25 dr)..
"t.".",,f,..rp.ri..r,
srlh n rve cutture dnd rdlfinare \oJIrron requirc\..t0
J,ry,. Leachrnp rren,ti. rre,..,r
n0% clrac,ion
rre. hosever. rerl ,imir.rr
in borh er;;;;:.
'"
"''*'-*,-
,":,,r",:; il "il l: lT-
rh. prosre*;on
,,r pH anj .orurion
po,cnriar\
ajons rhe
'(
arIr
or Ine \ePmenled
column\ Ihe cur\e, ret ing ro rhe \rdnddrd.t-cotumn
:.l:.iln:no
,h"y
Gimirar
ro Figure 4a) chalcocire (low potenriarl
i"".r*g-i,
"
nanow zone movins down rhe column. folrowed by r,igr, poiemior
,rug. z r#r,;ngl
In lhe rallinatc
expcrimenl the {age I zone rs,ritj obsenrd. br,.i, p.";;;:,.,
much more ,towty.
dnJ lhe rran,ilion irom va:e r ro ,rage : fe,, hrng i, m,j .or.,
gradual.
Only some of rhe available acid
js
insumed, and the pH remains
more
or Ie* nrble $irtr ont) tr mrn^r pe,,[ aruund day )U. $hen lhi f"" p.,",,,,"f ,.ri
fliil'
,l.".lgn .1,,
I i,
cied rhfl .,rse
I reach,ns
flocred.
,hrousi, ,r,. ,,,ri,","
corumn wrthrn r broad band rrrher thrn d nan
,cra
'uppt1
".
opp".e,t r;;il:;;il;.il;:;:L
Tone anJ r' n"r c"nrroled hv
The ca ,e,,l
rhe,e Ji\Lrepan(ie,
heLome.
ct(rr tronr figurr \. pt,,fi
,! rl(.
rumber ofbacEria
counted in sohtion as I function .f,i.. _Ai"p,r, i,,,r"..,,i,,,"
shows counts lowerby an order of mrgn ilude iD thc c.r,r,
",
*iir,
",,rtr"
r,*:r",i,,
tl|N( l, S
(X ,||
E{o
riDt0riun drrsl
Fis,,. Z Sulccted rcnr16 .t dr.4 colu'nn le$ under
(rnd{d
con ir6n: ({d.) rnd wirh
'rllirrlc
url
ntuve ricn oqrni{ns
t
i) tr) com$cxtncrn)n: b) elflue
DIIi.)
pr)!r.*n,r ol n'luron por.trrrl
in iodrndll rrl,in.te rs crnnpared k) the srandr cr)lunnr (lrboftrnny rullurc in !(nl
rnd i'on only). Ncve(hclcss. bolh scts ol drra sl()w lhc samc
frligrrssi(trr
lrcnds.
wilh nnrnhcrs nr)vin8 down lhc colurntrs in.
tr)wi[g
wlvc . llc pr('pxrrli(nr
rntc,,1 llis wrv..oircsponds to llxt
()l
th( hi8h
l)oicnliirl
wrvr i tlc wrkc ol
}l
t,t :RSt N ANl, t)t\()N |lllNr 1l1l s
()l (ll,\lrrI lll lllAl lrlr)ll]\(lllN(]
s
E
l.mE+o?
3
t 00E+06
E
I nut*05
Fis,/. & Bact rilt counr! oler the lengrh oi rhe cotunn i. experiDenrs 25 and 28
Iarlc J. Crowrh rate and final yield or
srcwrh experimenrs
tr.((,1r,,'\.irr'{r\
ll'rrl'5rrrr
'r
"'rrrtrrlt'rr'r\r
rrrtrlr'hrrr'rrr''l
'l'\rl"l'11
h\ rlI
I,;h,,, ,1,,.,',
.\ l,,v{, .\'rx,':
I'rrrn{rrr''
'' '.rl"
ri,'rar' $ r LrIl'l')'11
'llf
."",'"ir ,,t(,4"r eonrhir'(\ xrr rrl!ccliur dillusrnr nxxl0l n) ttecortrr lirr rrntrsl)orl
('l
",rr".
ii,,,rel, ,h" L"q,,trxl k, rrtircrdl sitcs in rhc
(nt wirh n ruhi rcllcri('rr nx(lel
;,h. ;i"Jl sirc i,rco,'r,rtrrirg s.rs
adsorPlion' microbitrl
stouh
nd orid'lrnrrr'
"rJ.i,,"."ir"""r,;rg
,r,'"nsh app;prirle kincdc rcms Additn rl ttLiturcs includc
an indeDrnderrl heulh(rl hrhnJ xnd J gJ' Ina"brlur'('
-
i*"',^*.',,il.."del are t'l prrrrculJr intetr'\r rrr lhe
(i'nr(ir.l rh
Pr(r\'rr
ar..,*,.": rr,. fir't,rldre' Io the $r) rn $hith hull \rlurrun llow i' rn'{l(l\l
iil'ls."In.J it'" *ut.n flows throush discrete channels in the ore bed which
,."-i. .""i*r \vi rt
"
a"ster of ore material containing an aqucous
phase lhc
form ofstagnant moisture. Thus flow is the predominant mode of mass lranspotl rtr
,fr.".
"r,"r,r'.f",
*fr-*" *ithin the ore cluslers it is bv molecular diffusion lhroush
ii"-",""",i ,or
",,..
ne drnution lens$ Rri'e' Ihe
'adiu'
or lhe clu\r( i''
.i",".L','ir.
,"aa prrJmeter The larset rhe
'lu'rer
i'' rh' lurrher rexg(nr' rhl
.""",,- *"a*,' tt,ve ro artir'e lhrough
\lagnr'nl
'olulron'
ln n rro$ rulurnrh'
'J
r' ,1..a in thr'
'rudv.
R c.n be raken ro be clo\e ro lhe pipc radtut {8r)"
"i
ruai"' r1* been fo.rni to be a goo{t value' ie 4 cm in the present case) lD
un""nii*a r,*p" irrlgrr"d bv &ip emitten it is likelv b be much larger' ck)ser t(l
tr'.-r,"ii iit"".'" t"*"* two drip poinls' This has been discussed in some derlil
,na oarrirllr conrirmed rhroutsh er|enmenls b) Perer\en and Di\on
(2001)
- -n;;i;;,
"'p..,
rerare' r" microurot o\idarron
shrch I' rnodeleJ rhr"urr'
lai.U.ri"l{*t* tin.ti"s. combining micrcbial growth with ferrous iron oxd rrnr
,;u tfr"
pi.t
"quutio,
(p"t"rsen & Dixon 20Mi Ojumu eldl
'
2006)' Thelbaudur
'';. ":;.i.1
in rhi' approdch is rhe ,primum microbiul srosrh
rare
(
'
r.rr(rr
''l"r
refened ro d'
1r,.. ,
\^hrch I' m"Jrtreil b) Monod and re\i\larrce rerm\
('r
'tr('{urr
t-,i"
"ii"" "r'iil'u",o. "oncentrarions.
temperaturc, c'c' Tvpicxl values fi' t lin
"
tr.r'ltfry-rrt-"..y
*r,rre and a native culiure stressed by high concenlratnnr\
ol
Mc rnd Al
'ullJre'J'$ell
a\chl rde\ are reflecreJ inT ble l'
'''ir,i.,r",
'r,.
.""a"a ,{olumn :rnd Irll column
re\r' di'cu-etl dbn\( $cr' rr'('l
. .urii*," ,r',. U*pslln .odel. This is a some hat cumbeNome
process describc(l
i. In"* a"" elsewhere
(Dixon & Petersen. 2004: Pete$en & Dixon 20o6h)
O.""
"rriUt""a,
,h(}
-.ael
can then be used to simulate other column expcrinrcrtts
Jrrriir.r,,*i*
,r,. *levanr operrrionrl
pJrrmerer' r'uch J' rlos rr're' e"lrtttur
i"iJii. iJ.a .","'r"-i,i-.
",.)
b!'t ieat ins lhe inrrinnc prrJmerer' de\ ribrnr rn,rrrrl
,,i.i.-il,i r,""1.'
""d
ma', r,on'rei p'r''m'rer' unchrnseJ ln rhi' r'r'hi"n rln
4-cotumn experimenl has been simulated. as is sho$rn in lcrms of coppcr exlrrcl(n'
'"i;"r..
o.
-a
't.
,,,,,r,he Lxperimenraldrl
r i' vet)
8o"'l'
Sirnili lv
f''\l'inrrt}'
rions-r.rnrtrchier<d
in rrrm\olrllmeJ'u'ed
pJr:rrnel'r.
'uJhI'ir'rn"'n((rrrrrtr'
'
ntl *,turur, n,u.,,,lrt,,r,
.
llr
rnore J(uil'
'(e
Dir'ir & Pekl'('r' lr)(r'1)'
'
i,,
',,",r'r',*ni,r,
rh( t."lurrrn c\Nlrrnerrr u'rnI nrri\' hr'r',r,rr
'rn(l
rnlrrrrrrr
",i,ii,,"
.", t" nn)delcd. Rcl tivc ro rh' sraDdn crlibrnrxnr onlv thc trric(n)itrl
,,,,ur1, ,xrL I $.s.[,ru(,1
tr,.,.lirr! I" rl! r'nrlr' tJll'11('l irr'lrhl"
I Al\'
l rr.,.',f
".'.,f. '."f
,."nr,'r,'I|"'"r
rr"rr' sIr L rrr ll(' rrrlIr''rr' w
''
rl
"lr'f/l
0 30 60 90 120
coltrhtr deprh
[m]
4 coluhn mflinlte cxFeinrcnr
+afier2o
days +ureilt aii
+after 38 days +,1*rS
auv.
t2a
(h)
(h)
0.109
2.a'1 \ tt)1
the chalcocile stage I leach front. Therefore. ir is posrulated
thar rhe stower copper
extraction rale in rhe raffinale column is linked to th"
"ror",
p.rprg"ti""
"fi;L;;
through the column at much sm,tler numbers. The r"r. .r.,ipp", r.*r,i"li, i""1"
controlled by bacrerial growth kinetlcs rather ttran acid suppiy.
.
The growth cbaracteristics
of the cuttures used in ttre coiumn experiments were
rnve\ugdred rn a \e'ie\ ot,hake fldsk erperimenr\ The erperimenrrt derrrtr
"re de\cnbed rn PereNen & Dr\un (2004
r
.l
he resutl. ctedrry:uA;esr rhar lhe laboraro^
culrure gross about.i\ Ume. m,,re rrpidt] rhan. a;d,;;b"u i,.,,ln".',r,1
concentmtion ol the native culrure in raffinare solurion under idenncal condidons
(Table
3). It should be noted that the lotal arnounr ot bio oxid",i*
1i,
"n*
.i
copper leached) was nor esrablished in rhese tests. Therefore rh" ..^*.d
;;i;
in terms of cell numbers does not necessality relare to rhe same amounl of f!;;;s
iron oxidiTed
5. MODELING
STUDIES
As is discussed earlier in ihis chapter, numerous heap bioteach rnodels have been
proposed
in the literarure over the years.
A deiailed review or tnesc tns rten
given by Dixon (2003). For the purpose or analyzins the rcsulrs p,"*"*i i,, ir,"
4dumn sta.drd expenm.nr
'll
lr l t\t N ]\Nt) t)t\oN
tinE on slream
tdaisl
ll!r,? 9. SiDrtlrions
oI .1
cotuDn. s-.oluro xnd hti cot,trnn:lrndurd
erpernrenrr
'
r \r'
'
tr ll ]ll l\l'lrlo r1( rrrNri
.7lr.rr,Iil)ttrr\t,itr|rr,
ll'
t(rr,,,r.,rrl sl,(\\.(l hr(l(rrr(/,. 0l).1 h ) llrs
eo,rcst)(nrlr lr' lltr ,trlu,rl
()ttr rrlrll L(relili(ns I llc rrrirr. sil..l lhc lirrr.,)l lltr'
.
70 cnr drippcr s|r.ins (/(
=
.10 cnr) .nd ltrllhy brclcril
((
=
(l.l
h
).
.
50 cnr dritpcr slrcnrs (R
=
20 crn) aDd suessed bacleria ((*
=
0.02 h
).
rr(l
.
50 cnr drippcr spacing (R
=
20 cm) and hcrlthy b.rctefitr (lL
=
().1
h ).
H.re. nrcsscd bacteria referc to the combined eftects of high srliDity rDd
txncrr
rially limitcd CO: supply on mic.ohinl growth. These efiacts int at ptclcnl lor
described tbc model explicitly. but accounlcd for ihrough a reduction ol thc laluc
of the microbial growth constaot t".
!-or all simularions the heap was taken ar l0 m height, lhe lied rute at I0 L/rDr/h.
and the aeration rale at 0.25 mr/mr/h. Feed conposition included 2.0 g/L ol ir(nr.
Also, the model was adjusted to the geo-climatic condirions of the heap localnnr rn{l
lemperature was left to self-adjust (as opposed to imposed isothermal coDdilnnrs
when modeling column experiments).
Modeling the hexp under aclual operating conditions (long drippet sp cing,
stressed bacteria) predicis approximately 757. copper extmction wilhin 400
(lirys
(13 monihs), which coresponds well with reponed producft)n figures al thc linre
(Garcia
"/
a1.. 1999). At the srmc time this is considerably longcr lhrn rrry
(n
tbe labomtory experiments rcporied above. The primary rcason is thal lhe h.gc
stagnani clusters between solurhn channels enforce a long diffnsion prih 1()l th(
delivery of one key reagent the rcid needed for the bio oxidation teaclnn) (l).
Petersen and Dixon (2003a) have shown thxt, as a consequence. tho zoDc $i!c
.halcociie leaching described nbove proceeds 'sidewayi in he|ps. awry li,,r)l
the solution channels into the stagnant cluslers. as opposed to dowDwnrd\ rs irr
tr.!,,r. 7, Snnuhtu. of.1coltrm.
N&dard md.l cotuD. rull,nare experimehrs
insteJd ,,t
2.U g/L rn rhc srlnd rd experjmenA I
or rhe r,rrr
col,per errncr,";-::;il
;;;";;tile
2' rhc re'ur' ae.,,, in,e.r.
dira. A8,,,. rhe ,noder
r,,. rhe ..r";#:;.'
I0' roserher $rrh rher\penmenrri
cr'J,5 (ap,uk.
,r,e ,e,J,d',on ,;
:;;:,1"'"
uerr over In'^r ur rhc
ru. nd
Pe,<^en
& D,run
r2o0r, \,",.
",,,;,n]:';
;"*'
'
on iJr rhe \rre'\cd
c\ue,i'nr,,l
lh,' lo$er rnicn'br,,l
cu.rnl. iound.
J, .h,,$n
r ly rellr(t
.l
_as
I ne\t slet rhe moJej w:r,
u\ed ro Drcdr.r
ruri \-re oper:r;rns
. ,. i,",. ; :"r::1";";;'
cupp'r
'
\rrr. r,on Jchre\:,hr,
,,', r.{
,u( .n',wn
rn FrBUre ll
\(en'rr"\
hlvc bcrn rtr"J'
r(11
.rrr\l
E aost.
:
:
ao',
0 at) I l0 I lJo lJo :100
rinr on strcrn
lduhl
/,u,l/ S ntr'|.(r$ ol rtrll..'l.h..t)n.rr o:
a (d
4-.olwndara
id_t ."t,,_h-,1"1
. rt: il-.olunn
daix _rat,l
cotum. modct
-lotrg
!rip. { (*u,!h,u.rir
*lotrSdrip,hurlrhybxrrrnr
+sho:rurdrit. n.$s.rl bJ.r.rir
-rln
rcr drip, hcrllhyhrcl.rir
l1,l lrISl N ANt) tr\r,N
A\rl,(,,rt,rr
\ n,rtrrr,,,,\.tr,w,tt,,,r
,.,.
!,,q,,
.,
r,, d, xc,r,",,
.,,:l
i.t"lii'l'
"J;l:l:.il:
:il,l:liilll,;:i]i}
rnJn(r.
r\ d,,e\ rhe u{e or J heJllhv;r.
rht'ruo.rlecr\ .
,i, r.',, ,,,1, *"i',,i,,,,;
'"li't
e"r"'n"'e'r'
rhi{ inrhJr"'
rh,,l
- rre b,',h rure-r;mirins
;, ;,;:;i
;"#l'
::f ''i'
and'erJrd(d
mrcrobur p,,'wrh
e'renr.
Re,rucet
an1pei.r,.,,;;;;;;1*'
ernJcrron
r. appro\imarerv
rhe .JmF
," n.,.".
"".n,iJ.i",i;i'
:il"
il:H :T,l,li:,::ffi."1HJ":ilii,ff:
As Fi8ure tj indicares.
more sipnjfi.,
micr,,biJr
hedrrh
',,,,.
r,.- *,,,i,?j'i-'"';'r
improvement
courd
be m,,de if rhe
or *ri"""'*-'r'i"li;l
;:il ;l;ilXi'"
9'
reducins rhe rever\
or vts and
pe,e^en
h s \hoqn,hJ,
s.,..;,;;;
;;;:I";l's':''rron
t npubri\hed
,.u uoir r,u
*,,,,cr
',,.',n,,,i.d
,"rii;;,.':'",',,",j;
'i:
'n:
*)n. oreirhcr
Msso, Ar rso )
,,e\ o, ,hc n*,ve,,,,;;;;;;;:::.
ill
o"nl
jna'
imro\eJ
microbirt
groJrh
h,,qcve,.
rhr *h,.,,,c .*|;;;,.,;;,"1 " '':':'oi
2-3 r, i' ,.rno$redse,r.
1ay
in racr be, nprrcrica,:,
;r;:,"il,::,,,,il1:i,:::J;:,::,;jI",;,;:l#
rne rndDstrjat
opemlon
L,,rt,t U",lno,or"a,
or in e\ce\.
or su,
j
.^ i,r,ir.r",",l'""
"'t'chieve
80' in a' hrrle J' 250 d:r)..
6.
CONCLUSIONS
Herp biuje chinS ot chrjcoc;te
ore\ r\ wide
'sn,rrcJn,
,ndu,rndt
a.pj;carion
or oa".,.r'l
t'":l':.0 and rhu' bv lrr rhe mo\r
p-..*
''
q,;r.
.o,prii.
;;1,,,; :;:
"
'e
Arrhoush
ir
"ppea,'
\imnre.
,hF
,rhro
organ^m,.
ctu.re^
or pon,,
t., ur.t ,r,"
,t"t' 'l
lhe
'rale\
ot mineral grarn..
""y,rrr,ia,"
n,,r:,r*q,,r;.ii,;,;i;';;,X;;**,\
auh,re. !rhich
can,n,e,J.,,n
modcr,ns ,,,or.
',.h
;, il.:rit;. ;. i;;'""'on
drone and requrre a comprehen'i,e
,n,enar
hr' \houn,ha,
u;;l
;
.;,il:#
lh'
rorumn'ru'r)
on,)pi.
rr o,c
he dchievabh
,,,,n1 rr.,^
"',rr,, "
i.* r'"'rrlron'
hiSh copper
e\rrucrn,n5 .hnurd
rd,r ,har much r.." .,,,"",,,,,".,
,;:,ii'.,:l
,, amb,cnr remperarure.
rhe
d,lerm,qed
b) ,"" ,,i, ,,.,.^ f;;,;
;J:"
reJri') rn in'ru'rrrdr
operar,,'n' i.
u rrhin rhe herp due ro ro.";;;
;",,J;,'JT::ii
tinrihurion
re'pe(iJiv
or J,
'd)
mL obJi .ri\,)
o..
-r,,,,'.,ir.'."r,,^fl..L-"iiii..iilL]:l,llll,,il.l?,"
5uPpl) could al\o porenria
y rerard
mrcrobiz
concru\rtetl
denron\rri(eo
'
growrh'
bur lhi' ha' n"l yet
been
L
{ nod(irng.
nudy u.jng lhc Heapsim
root hi. \hu$n
thit lhe.e lw,, e|leil' nJve an overdtt r.l,e timilng
<iterr ul r,u!htv
con,e*
or ,he oFrd,ion \;;r:J;,.;ffii;l
rhe :!me masnrrude
a, r( ., in ,h"
uch eve .isnr,
cJn,,-,.,*,
;;;;;:.ni
i;[:il;:.,iJ:,T
:il,T],:l :; or,mlcrohjdt
heatrh in rhe
.onr.,, ,,i
i.up b,"t.r..h,"s
:).,.;:;;i,;J.il:;
onr) r,mireJ
lr,enrion
lrum re\ed,chrs,o
far. Thr, i\;d.,;;..;;;,];;:,;]
:;,::H,:il.l
"*..
or hedp hrore:i(hinp.
Jnd ,h^ujd
b. iJ,rre$nj
L rullnl.
rlrlrlr lll l! l rll\rrrnrrl lll'],\l'lrx,lr,\(lllNr; .)ll
7. A( KN( )Wr.r,XX;l iNll,:N I
'!hc
.rnllors wish l(, ir.krNwkalAc the gcrtn,us lir)uD.irl suPPon hy l'Lrccr l)'nnc
Tcchnicrl li0r!iccs l.ld. lo' llrc $,nk
(liscusscd
in thi\ chapr.r.
8. REFERENCES
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ndkpile leich nrL\lel: Ba.keround and model formulxtio.. ln: Young C- Altunrx/i A. And.r!r
(
Janrer A. DEisinger DB. H.nis B- eds. Hydrometallurgy 1001, Pmceedin!\ of rhc 5rh Inrc'trrti,nrl
Synposium Honofis Prcle$or Ian M. Ritchie. TMS Publi\he6. wanctrdrle. PA, vol l: l.rrhtrrt
,nd solution Punlicltnn.ll5 323
Blighr KR. Ralph DE. 2004. Eft.cr of ionic
(Engrh o. non oxidltion wirh brr.h.ul(trtr!.l
chemolithtropic ba.teria. Hydronretalluray ?:l 125 334.
Bolorundu0, SA. 1999. Kinetics ol lelching of chalcocite in acid feri. sul dt. media: Chc'nic l rrl
bacrerial lcrhnlg. M A.Sc Thesis. UnileBiry olBnlish Colunbia.
B@n M. 1996. Theorerical and cxpe mentll melhods in drc modeling of bnr oridxrion kincti.:
"l
sulfide rnineals. PhD Thcsis. TU Delft,ISBN 90 9009815_9
Bouffard SC. 2mr. undestanding the Bio oxidarion of Sulfidic Rern.toiy Oold Ot{ PhD
'rhrsn.
UniveAny of Brnish Coluinbia.
Brccd AW. Hrnnn'd Gs. 1999. Eliect ol pH on rerous iron oxidalion kinetics ot x pi.d.mi|rnllv
Izrtovnilhm froo\itu
t.tllure. Biotechnol Bi@ng 65:'l'1_53
Breed Aw, Denprs CJN. Searby GE, Cddner MN, RaNlinss DE, Handord CS. 199r' Thu.lkaf
ol tenperatre on the continu.us fenousiron oxid ion kineri.s ot a prcdominanlly /r'lr,V,nilr ,
f1[.,1,/d,J
culture. Richem Eng J 3 l9]-201.
Brierley CL. 1997 Minarg biote.hnology: Rese&.h to conmercirl developDcnr and hcvotr,l
In: Rlwlings DE. cd. Biomining: Theor!. Microbes and I'rdunrirl Prd.sscs. Sprirler Vrnxr.
Denergasso C. Castillo D, C,lleguillos P. Escuderu I-o. C,smryor 8.2001. Cenelir idenrilrcnrilrr
dd Iemponl dynahic\ or mi.roor-srnnms fron a dero.strive dninp oI a nu'giinl .{pcr nrllnlr
hiolerhing piojecr. In Rivercs PA, Dixon DG, Drenings DB, Menrcho J. cds Hydomd llugy ol
C.pper, Pio.edings of CopFr 2003. CIM'NletSc. lrontrtrl. Vol 6
Dixon DO 2003 Heap le(h
'nodelin!
-
rhe curenr slde of thc tn ln: YouDg C, Allnik/i A.
A.dcrson C. Jame\ A. Dreisi.gcr DB. Haris B, cds. Hydro,ncrallurgy 2(]O.l- Pi{tcdntgs ol rlt 5llr
IDtemtrtional Syiiposnnn Honoing Plofe$or Ian l,'t. Ritchic. TMS Publ(h^. wnd..drlc. PA. vol
l: Lcrching md Solurion PurificrnD. :39 ll4
DixonD6.Pct.rsenJ.l00l Co'hprehcnsivc modellinS \ludy ol.hd.o.itc.ohnnn rnd h{f bn)lrfhi|!
In: Rivem\PA, Dixon DG. DrciJirger DB.lvenlcho J. eds Hydromehllurgy olcom.r. P,oc.riirr!\
ol Copper 100:l clNl Mcrsoc. Monlreal,.l9:l 516
Dixon DC, Pele^en J.100.1 Modeling thd dyn!'ni.s oiheap hiolelchina l(trF)c.:s inlrNctrtnr rrl
innovrrtun lri Hydo Sullides 2m4. Pm.cdnrgs ol$e lnte'nrlnJn lColllxluiun otr Ily(lnnn.rxll
u1.nl P$.c\slns ol copn*sultidcs. April 16 19isrnri go.chilc. I:l-45
Crr.i.C.BinrignxrJ.Ro.oJ.Crmpo\., 1998 Br.rcrirlr.riviryinh.tiflt&l,in!u\iign,lulittrr\..nrr trltril
v.ry hish l!rtlsol.omrminrnl\.In Pn)r{di'rg\.RrtrLlolCo||trIlythnn.rlt,trtrLlrihl.r)8.No!tnh.'
17 l0.R'tri\hColtrDhir
(10ltl.nCO
Rxndolltrrcrtr11n)nrll-tt.Vrr.ou\tr.lrtr li'l
(;rrir (.
Ari$ ll. Crn,Bx l. R(ro J. Srn Mini', O. Whr xl$ J ll)99. ljiL,l.rhi'U rr TxkL'\J'
lr Ili,mi'r'9t) xn Wrr0 Mrtr,r!.nurltr Nirrrlh,!'.nlOlnr11ntr\
(inrli'ancc
11o.c.drtr!\ l()r)!)
nttrn 2:r Il.l'.'(lr. Ar{'rlir. Atrn'xlitr' NIitrrriLt !trnr[lntr, 1tr..
(i]
:nLc. Ar{rrli,.7l sl
llxslls ltll.l;'.ivtritN l'l).1'ht,'l,ll .r{)ll. \n,tl. rr.1h.'t,ot)h'l(\ tr.l(tlitJ] rr,/d/,r,v,r,x/,,i,r
I l11
PlillI{sIN ANr) r,rrr )N
l-.nrb.ry P t997 Visi( kr Zrtdiv Cu,nnrc. Otrr)ku,nN Rese.el. (ioo
tr tyrrrt t. lntrrhri Rqrorr
97003 GAL,Ti oub(uinpu. Fintrnd. 30 Janu y (untubtishc{l)
Lawso.EN,NicholasCr,PetlatH.1995.Theroxiceliecrofchtand.onsanThiobttillust"r
btnLn\
l1 Jere/l.A.V rtul loledoH.Wirn/r\ rit. Rinhy. romerrlrdrg(dtprc....ins. prn.<JrnI.al
the Inlemarional Biohydsnetalturgy Symposium rBS,95, vina del Mr. chik. Uii,esnv orCiiL
SJn'.rgode cnrl. Vol. l, thr t74.
Ogbonna N. Petemen J. Dixon Dc. 2lll5. Eeapsin UmaveuinS rhe marhemics of hap bioleaching.
I.: Dry M, Dro. DC. erts. Computarional Analysh in Hy.tronelalluqy, 35th An.d Hy;ondallu;
Mering. CIM-MetSoc, Mo.real. 22s-240.
Ojumu rv, Pten.n J. Searby cE. Hansford cS. 2006. A eview of 6re equatio.s prcposd ror nicobill
,
femus-ion oxidation wnh a view lo applicarion to hap bioleaching. Hydrcn;kiurgy s3r 21,28.
Ols. CJ. Briedey JA. Bneitey CL. 2m3. Biol.acbjns Elie* pan B: ftoeEss in biot;hins: applica
tions of nicrcbiar
tuesses
by the mi.eols indunries. Appl Mictubiol B iotechnol 63 :249 257.
Pelersn J. Dixon DC. 2003. TIE dynamics or chalcocite heap biotoching. In:
youna
C. Alrantui A.
AndEson C. Janes A. DEisingd DB, Hmis B, eds. Hy.tiometallursy 2003,
pr@tedines
of the 5th
In'eT4ional sJmporum Hunolng
pr.te..or
td v RiLnrp tMs
pubt,.heh.
wendie. pa.
\.n
I: ts(hrn8.nd Soliion Puhr'\drionj r(t ro{
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pcesses
*nh a View ro Improved and Novel Appri.ation. l.: rrEnzn L. Bradsha; Dr. Aldrich c
Ek{een ,J, wrighl M, Thon E, ds.
procedi,gs
of lhe xxrl Intemariondl Mineral
p@esi.s
Conere{ 5AIMM. Mshaltrosn. sourh 4rrica. \otuhe J. t2lt t240
Peleren J, Dixon Dc. 2004. Ba.renal
crcwth and propagadon in chalccite heap bioleach scenarios.
In: Tfsos M, HaDildo*ym A, Remoundiki E, eds. Biohydometallurgy A Suiainable Technotoey
in EvolulD., Pmeedngs of rhe Intemational Biohydrometallurg Sy.p*tu. tOS tOO:, S"pr".i.
14- 19. Alhens, creece, National Tech.icar Univenity ofAthens,65 7it.
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DE, Johnson DB. eds. Bioninins, Springer Vertag, Berlin, lsj 175.
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b'ole,(hinE. Hy.lrnhetcllurfy rt
I t5-t2e.
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Indu"hal Prcce.,e" SpnngeFvertJg Berlin. 2t 4r
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of no. oxidni.g bacteria. Hydromehllurgy 30: 75,82.
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feftoondans to s.ft
metals. A.tonie van Leeuwennoek 37r 489-496.
vm Scherrenzel DA. 1996. The kinetics of fercu$ircn oridation by trptospirjllun,lite hacreria in
absehce and prcsen.e o{ pyrire and pyrit/menopyrite mirtus in continuous md batch cuxtrres.
MSc (Ehg.) Thesis, Uhive^ity of Cape Toyn
SECTION III
GDNETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Microbial Processing
of Metal Sulfides
edited by
Edgardo R. Donati
Unhtersity of h Plata, Arqentino
and.
Wolfgang Sand
Unbercity ol Duisburq-Essen, Cermany
A Springer
A
(
I l' i rLrl,,rrtr.
'r(o',1
r,tr tltr\ ho.l l\ ny.rilrh[. I'or' rl'! I ih y.l (itrr|'.s
ISBN 978-r-,1020-5538 r (HB)
ISBN 978-l-.1020-5589 8 (e btuk)
Published by Springer.
PO. Bo\ 17.3300 AA Doidre.hr. The Nerherl,nd\
PantJ, h u.nl.lit.
rqt'
AII Righrs R.s$eed
O 2007 spri.ger
No
nrn
ol this work mry h. rqmxl!..d, srored in I rctricvil \yie'n, orhn$nnled
nr rtry lnnn or hy ny ,nc trs. clc.troni.. nrc.h nicrl, phonroDyin!. nri.nn,lrni.E_ r.co irg
or.rlr.ruisc. wirlroururilrcn
|trrirsi(D
li\rn rlr. Ptrhli\h0': wilh rlr cx.{rnrn
I ntry flr(cirl nrl)dit,l sNcil]crlly lnr rl[
NryN
ol hci']s.trlcml
xn,l.x..trl.n otr ..nIUr.r sy:r.nr. l(r .xrlNire tr\. hy rtrc tr(t'xs ol ltr
q.rk
TABLE OF CONTENTS
l'rcfuce
scclion I Fundamentals, microorganisms and mechanisms
I Microorganisms involved in bioleaching and nucleic acid based
molecular me.hods for their identitication and quantificatio,
Arel Schippex
2. Mechanisms and biochemical fundamentals of bacterial metal
sulfide oxidation
Thorc Roh||erder dnd wolfgang Sand
l. Electrochemical techniques used to sludy bacterial-metal sulfides
interactions in acidic environments
D?nis. Retilaqua, Heloisd A. Acciori, Assis V. Benedetti
a|d Oswaldo Cd":ix Jr
.1.
Catalytic role of silver and other ions on the mechanism
ofchemical and biologicd leachiDg
'77
Anto h Ballester, Marid Luisa Bld.qut., Felisa Co .tile.
x .l Jesns A. Iluiio.
5. Rccovcry of zinc. nickel. cobah and other metals by biolcnchirg 103
llurisd Vietu, Crinnu Pogliot. Elsd lo Do oti
6. lliolcaching ol nrcl.lh in ncrtrrl Id slighlly rltrlitu ctrvironnrcnt lzl
Al.kut dRt Sklt\h\*a t nl lttlru|n Mt htk\$kn
t5
5,]
l\rrl rn r 0Nll Nrs
S.( lrtir ll lli(r.itrl(nsrrkl llkn'er|\
/. lli,,lc chirrg
()l
sollidc rriDcrxls in .oDliDuous
(iRd
t.uls
Lx)tittitttk lI(ttri Ro!(' Mori
l]r
t:t:l
193
2t9
221
253
265
261
)t\'7
'lll
8. Bi(rcactndcsigD fuldrnretrtals nd then application 10 gokl mining l5l
Fer'ldndo At?wdo dn.l Judn Catk,s G.tlti a
9. Airlift reactors: characterization and rpplications
in biohydrometallurgy
Alejondrd Gtuve o, lnurd lntdll, Patticia Chidcchiari i
atd Edgatdo Do xti
10. Principles. mechanisms and dynamics of chalcocile heap
bioleaching
Jochen Petetse 0 d Doti4 G. Di\o
Section lIl
-
Cenetics and Molecular Biology
I l. The use of bioinformatics and genome biology to xdvance
our under{:rnding ol h leJ(hinE mrcroorganism:
Raquel
Quatrin|
Jorse Vdldes, EuRenia Je(llicki
.t d D.t|i.l S. Holules
12. Protcomics and metaproteomics applied to biomintug
microorganisms
Ca os A. Jerc.
l3- Cell cell communication in bacleria: A
r,m,,iritry
net| aproach
to inprcve bioleachinq ellicienq l
Susa,la Wllet.uela, Alwto Ro deras, Carh^ A. kre. .i|d Ni.okts
Cuilia i
Seclion IV Other Applications
14. Biollolation nnd bioflocculrlion of relevoce to minerals
bioprocessing
K- HdnDM thn Rao u'td S. Sub,dnrntiot
I5. Hydrcgcn snllidc rcnn)val liom grseous etfluents
.lo!/ Mtit(lGtnN. ol l)tr i,tlo Cankkj
t69
241
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
ll(ft)isa A. Acciari Universidade Esradual
paulisla,
Insliruto de
eunnictl.
I).pfl1lrnento de Bioquimica e Tecnologir
Quimica,
AJaraquara,Sp, Brxzit.
l,rDando Aceyedo School of Biochemical Engineering.
ponlifical
Cathotic
I rniveftity
of Valparaiso. Valparaiso. Chile.
,\ntonio Ballester Depanamenlo de Ciencia de Matedales e Inseniclir
Mcralirgica, Facultad de Ciencias
Quimicas, UDiversidad Complutense de Madri(I.
\'hdrid. Spain.
,\ssis V. Benedetti Universidade Estaduai
paulista,
Instirulo de
euimira.
I ).plr,rmento
de Fisico,Quimica, Araraquara-Sp, Brazit.
Nlaria Luisa Bldzquez Deparramento de Ciencia de Mareriales e hgenicrir
Nlclahrgica, Facultad de Ciencias
Quimicas.
Universidad Complutense de Mndri(t,
i!h.I id. Spain.
r\lvnroDanderas
Unit olBaclerial Cell Communicalion. Laboratorv ofMotecutxr
\4i. r,'hrolop) and Brorechnol,,g). Depdnmenr ot Brotopy. Facutrj ui S.i
((,.
lrriveNity of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
I)crise Bevilaqua UniveNidade Estaduat
paulisla.
lnstiruto de
euirnica.
l).parl nento de Bioquimica e Tecnologia
euimic!,
Araraquara Sp, Brazil
l)omingo Cantero Universidad de Ciidiz. Crdiz, Spain.
l'rtricia Chiacchiarini Faculiad de tngenieria. Universidad Nacionnt dct
( (nnrhue.
Neuquan, Argenrina.
l)nvid C. Dixon Department of Marerinls Engineclins. University of Bri(ish
1 i)lunrbia. Vancouver Cxn.dr
lr(l,anrdo Donati Cir)dcl'i (CoNl(
lll tlNI-1,). U[ivcrsidrd Nlcxn t dc r_r Ptnri,
L lrl rx. Ar8cnli r.
r r\l ol
(r)Nll{lll( lolrs
Os\rlkt('
(;rrruit
.Ir.
tJrriv.rsnltrd( lsr llnrl l''ulin
'
lrrsriruro dc Quirnicx'
DcparrrllrcnrLr
dc BnxlLrirnictr
c'lccnologi' Qun
icr' Arttrtqrrtrtu SI' Brtuil'
Juan
Crrlos Gentina
School of Biochcrnicli Etrgireerit)g
Pontilical Crtholic
Univemity of valpataiso, valparaiso, Chil'
Alejandra Giaveno Faculiad de Ingenieria' llnivcrsidad Nacional del Comahue'
Neuqu6n, Argenlinn.
Nicolas Guiliani Unit of Bacieri'tl Ceu Cornmuniadon
Laboratory of Molecular
Microbnrlogy
md Biotechnologv
DeprimeDl of Biologv Frcuhy of Sciences'
University of Chile. Sanliago' Chile'
Jose
Manuel G6mez Monles de Oca Univenidad de Cddiz Cadiz' Spain'
tretisa Gonzakz
Departamenio de Ciencia de Malerialcs e Ingenieria Melalirgic'r'
u,."uJ u" ao..o'
q.imicas. Uniaersidad Complutense
de Madrid Madrid'
Sprin.
I(. Hanumantha
Rro Division of Mineral Processing' Lulei Universilv
of
Technology,
Lulei. Sweden'
David S. Holmes Center of Bioinformatics
anit Genome Biologv Andr6s Bello
U^t"-ui"tUaeul,
rna Science Foundation ard Millennium IDstitute of Funda-
mental md Applied Biologv, Sanliago Chilc'
Eugenia Jedlicki
Progam of Cellular and Molecuhr Bi(nogv I C B'M Faculiv
of Medicine. Universily ofchile Sanliago Chile
Carlos A, Jerez
Lrboralory
of Molec'rlar
Microbiobgv and Biotechnologv'
,"p"n,r*rt
.f
gt","ty
faculiv of Sciences UuiveNitv of Chilc Saniiago Chile'
Laura Laralle Facultd de lngenieria, Uriversidad Nacional del Comahrc'
NeuqLEn.
Argentina.
Renata Matlakowska
warsaw Universiiy' Facuhy of Biology
warsaw' Poland'
Do inique Henli Roger Morin BRGM' Orldans France'
JesisA,Munoz
Depa amenlo dc Ciemiade Mrlcrialcs e tngcDicriir Melalnrgicr'
i"J,"i * ct",","" O
nnicrs. uoiv'tsidxd corrflurctrsc
dc Mt r
'
Midrid'
Sl irr.
.lx,h(tr l'rlrrsctr l)ct)xrlrtrlrlol( ln.Irr Ilin!in..rin!.tlnilcrsilyol(rt^- li)wn.
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Center of Bioirtbrmatics and Genome Biology. Andr6s Belk)
I rvcrsily ([JNAB). LiL Science Fdmdation and Millennium Institute of IruDd
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lhorc liohwcrdcr UniveNity of Duisburg-Essen, Bioiilm Cenire, Aqr lic
lr i'r..hnology. DuisbuB. Gemany.
\\,nlsnng Snnd UDivcrsity ofDuisbnrg Esscn, Biofilm Centre, Aquatic Biot.ch
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I)uisburg. Cermrny.
\\rl S(hiDpcrs Geonricrobiology. Federal Institute for Geosciences and Nrturl
ll.\irccs. Hlnnover. Gennany.
\l(.lsnrtdra Sklodowska WaNaw Univeriiy, Faculty of Biology, warslw.
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s. srbflrmanian Dep nment of Meratlugy, Indian Inst ute of Scicncc.
l,rrlle Vald6s Center of Bioinformatics and Genome Biology. Andrs Bcllo
r,i,\drlry (UNAB), Litt Scicn.c l'oundation and Millennium Institut. ol
L,rliLr)clrxl :rnd Applicd Bnrogy, S.rnliago. Chilc.
s"sxDn Valcnzuela Uoit of Brcterial Cell Communicntion. Lnboraiory ol
Nl,'ltall:r Microbiology rnd Biolechoology. Depafmenl of Biology, Facully ol
';, x rr..\. tlDivcr!ity of Chile. Santiago. Chile.
rhri\x Virrn Cindcli (CONICET
UNLP). Universidad Nacional de li Plat.