Effects of forced aeration on community dynamics of free and attached bacteria in copper sulphide ore bioleaching

Abstract

Bacterial community dynamics and copper leaching with applied forced aeration were investigated during low-grade copper sulphide bioleaching to obtain better bioleaching efficiency. Results illustrated that appropriate aeration improved bacterial concentrations and leaching efficiencies. The highest bacterial concentration and Cu²⁺ concentration after 14-d leaching were 7.61 × 10⁷ cells·mL⁻¹ and 704.9 mg·L⁻¹, respectively, at aeration duration of 4 h·d⁻¹. The attached bacteria played a significant role during bioleaching from 1 to 7 d. However, free bacteria dominated the bioleaching processes from 8 to 14 d. This phenomenon was mainly caused by the formation of passivation layer through Fe³⁺ hydrolysis along with bioleaching, which inhibited the contact between the attached bacteria and ore. Meanwhile, 16S rDNA analysis verified the effect of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans on the bioleaching process. The results demonstrate the importance of free and attached bacteria in bioleaching.

Keywords

attached bacteria / bioleaching / forced aeration / free bacteria / low-grade copper sulphide ore

References

[1] Davis-Belmar CS, Cautivo D, Demergasso C, Rautenbach G. Bioleaching of copper secondary sulfide ore in the presence of chloride by means of inoculation with chloride-tolerant microbial culture. Hydrometallurgy, 2014, 150, 308.

[2] W. Chen, S.H. Yin, A.X. Wu, L.M. Wang, and X. Chen, Bioleaching of copper sulfides using mixed microorganisms and its community structure succession in the presence of seawater, Bioresour. Technol., 297(2020), art. No. 122453.

[3] Yin SH, Chen W, Liu JM, Song Q. Agglomeration experiment of secondary copper sulfide ore. Chin. J. Eng., 2019, 41(9): 1127.

[4] Ilankoon IMSK, Neethling SJ. Liquid spread mechanisms in packed beds and heaps. The separation of length and time scales due to particle porosity. Miner. Eng., 2016, 86, 130.

[5] Lizama HM, Jensen SE, Stradling AW. Dynamic microbial populations in heap leaching of zinc sulphide ore. Miner. Eng., 2012, 25(1): 54.

[6] Fagan MA, Ngoma IE, Chiume RA, Minnaar S, Sederman AJ, Johns ML, Harrison STL. MRI and gravimetric studies of hydrology in drip irrigated heaps and its effect on the propagation of bioleaching micro-organisms. Hydrometallurgy, 2014, 150, 210.

[7] Latorre M, Cortés MP, Travisany D, Di Genova A, Budinich M, Reyes-Jara A, Hödar C, González M, Parada P, Bobadilla-Fazzini RA, Cambiazo V, Maass A. The bioleaching potential of a bacterial consortium. Bioresour. Technol., 2016, 218, 659.

[8] Chen W, Yin SH, Qi Y, Chen X, Wang LM. Effect of additives on bioleaching of copper sulfide ores. J. Cent. South Univ. Sci. Technol., 2019, 50(7): 1507.

[9] Richter C, Kalka H, Myers E, Nicolai J, Märten H. Constraints of bioleaching in in-situ recovery applications. Hydrometallurgy, 2018, 178, 209.

[10] Brierley CL. Biohydrometallurgical prospects. Hydrometallurgy, 2010, 104(3–4): 324.

[11] Brierley JA, Brierley CL. Present and future commercial applications of biohydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy, 2001, 59(2–3): 233.

[12] Potysz A, van Hullebusch ED, Kierczak J. Perspectives regarding the use of metallurgical slags as secondary metal resources — A review of bioleaching approaches. J. Environ. Manage., 2018, 219, 138.

[13] Henne A, Craw D, Vasconcelos P, Southam G. Bioleaching of waste material from the Salobo mine, Brazil: Recovery of refractory copper from Cu hosted in silicate minerals. Chem. Geol., 2018, 498, 72.

[14] Wang YG, Chen XH, Zhou HB. Disentangling effects of temperature on microbial community and copper extraction in column bioleaching of low grade copper sulfide. Bioresour. Technol., 2018, 268, 480.

[15] Sun LX, Zhang X, Tan WS, Zhu ML. Effect of agitation intensity on the biooxidation process of refractory gold ores by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Hydrometallurgy, 2012, 127–128, 99.

[16] Acosta M, Galleguillos P, Ghorbani Y, Tapia P, Contador Y, Velásquez A, Espoz C, Pinilla C, Demergasso C. Variation in microbial community from predominantly mesophilic to thermotolerant and moderately thermophilic species in an industrial copper heap bioleaching operation. Hydrometallurgy, 2014, 150, 281.

[17] Jia Y, Sun HY, Tan QY, Gao HS, Feng XL, Ruan RM. Linking leach chemistry and microbiology of low-grade copper ore bioleaching at different temperatures. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2018, 25(3): 271.

[18] Yang HL, Feng SS, Xin Y, Wang W. Community dynamics of attached and free cells and the effects of attached cells on chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp.. Bioresour. Technol., 2014, 154, 185.

[19] Feng SS, Yang HL, Wang W. Insights to the effects of free cells on community structure of attached cells and chalcopyrite bioleaching during different stages. Bioresour. Technol., 2016, 200, 186.

[20] Wang H, Zhang X, Zhu ML, Tan WS. Effects of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide under oxygen-rich conditions on the biooxidation process of refractory gold concentrate and the microbial community. Miner. Eng., 2015, 80, 37.

[21] B.Q. Yu, J. Kou, Y. Xing, and C.B. Sun, Enhanced extraction of copper from cupriferous biotite by organic intercalation, Hydrometallurgy, 192(2020), art. No. 105286.

[22] Caramento A. Cultivating backward linkages to Zambia’s copper mines: Debating the design of, and obstacles to local content. Extr. Ind. Soc., 2020, 7(2): 310.

[23] P. Mwaanga, M. Silondwa, G. Kasali, and P.M. Banda, Preliminary review of mine air pollution in Zambia, Heliyon, 5(2019), No. 9, art. No. e02485.

[24] Guezennec AG, Joulian C, Jacob J, Archane A, Ibarra D, de Buyer R, Bodénan F, d’Hugues P. Influence of dissolved oxygen on the bioleaching efficiency under oxygen enriched atmosphere. Miner. Eng., 2017, 106, 64.

[25] S.H. Yin, W. Chen, X. Chen, and L.M. Wang, Bacterial-mediated recovery of copper from low-grade copper sulphide using acid-processed rice straw, Bioresour. Technol., 288(2019), art. No. 121605.

[26] Liu JY, Xiu XX, Cai P. Study of formation of jarosite mediated by thiobacillus ferrooxidans in 9K medium. Procedia Earth Planet. Sci., 2009, 1(1): 706.

[27] Feng SS, Yang HL, Zhan X, Wang W. Novel integration strategy for enhancing chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp. in a 7-L fermenter. Bioresour. Technol., 2014, 161, 371.

[28] Feng SS, Yang HL, Wang W. Improved chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp. via direct step-wise regulation of microbial community structure. Bioresour. Technol., 2015, 192, 75.

[29] Yin SH, Wang LM, Wu AX, Chen X, Yan RF. Research progress in enhanced bioleaching of copper sulfides under the intervention of microbial communities. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2019, 26(11): 1337.

[30] Osorio H, Mangold S, Denis Y, Ñancucheo I, Esparza M, Johnson DB, Bonnefoy V, Dopson M, Holmes DS. Anaerobic sulfur metabolism coupled to dissimilatory iron reduction in the extremophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2013, 79(7): 2172.

[31] Dopson M, Johnson DB. Biodiversity, metabolism and applications of acidophilic sulfur-metabolizing microorganisms. Environ. Microbiol., 2012, 14(10): 2620.

[32] Lizama HM. Copper bioleaching behaviour in an aerated heap. Int. J. Miner. Process., 2001, 62(1–4): 257.