Intensification of Sulfide Copper-Nickel Ore Heap Leaching with Bioreagent-Oxidant Participation

Abstract

With the aim of intensification, improving economic efficiency, and controlling sulfide ore heap bacterial leaching features and leaching regimes are studied for lean copper-nickel ore with the participation of a bioreagent-oxidant prepared by iron-oxidizing micro-organisms and concentrated adsorption immobilization in a separate reactor. Research established the ore size for heap leaching and an increase in metal extraction with an increase in bioreagent concentration. Use of the heap bioleaching technology developed for ore with a size of –10 mm containing 0.32% nickel and 0.11% copper makes it possible to increase nickel extraction into solution to 6.3–19.5% and copper to 5.8–24.2% with consumption of sulfuric acid lower by 4.4–14.6% compared with use of seeding ore with bacteria.