Bioleaching of Pb-Zn-Sn chalcopyrite concentrate in tank bioreactor and microbial community succession analysis.

Variations in the microbial community structure were investigated during the tank bioleaching of a Pb-Zn-Sn concentrate from Meizhou, Guangdong, China, using three bacterial strains, Acidthiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Sulphobacillus thermosulphidooxidans. Cu extraction of 85.6% was obtained after 30 days. Acidthiobacillus caldus was the dominant population in the initial stage, with an abundance of 73.8%, Sulphobacillus thermosulphidooxidans was dominant from the 18th day to the end of the bioleaching process, while the abundance of Leptospirillum ferriphilum changed only slightly. The total Fe concentration decreased significantly from the 6th to the 14th day, attributed to precipitation, while the solution potential increased sharply from the 1st to the 3rd day, reached a peak of 540 mV, decreased sharply to 390 mV during the 4th day and then steadily increased. The results indicated that the bioleaching process required a higher solution potential within a certain range and an appropriate concentration of ferric ions.
Variations in the microbial community structure were investigated during the tank bioleaching of a Pb-Zn-Sn concentrate from Meizhou, Guangdong, China, using three bacterial strains, Acidthiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Sulphobacillus thermosulphidooxidans. Cu extraction of 85.6% was obtained after 30 days. Acidthiobacillus caldus was the dominant population in the initial stage, with an abundance of 73.8%, Sulphobacillus thermosulphidooxidans was dominant from the 18th day to the end of the bioleaching process, while the abundance of Leptospirillum ferriphilum changed only slightly. The total Fe concentration decreased significantly from the 6th to the 14th day, attributed to precipitation, while the solution potential increased sharply from the 1st to the 3rd day, reached a peak of 540 mV, decreased sharply to 390 mV during the 4th day and then steadily increased. The results indicated that the bioleaching process required a higher solution potential within a certain range and an appropriate concentration of ferric ions.