Abstract

Bioleaching is the biological conversion of an insoluble metal compound into a water soluble form. In case of metal sulfide bioleaching, metal sulfides are oxidized to metal ions and sulfate by aerobic, acidophilic Fe(II) and/or sulfurcompound oxidizing Bacteria or Archaea. Bioleaching involves chemical and biological reactions. Despite molecular oxygen being the final electron acceptor for the overall metal sulfide bioleaching process, Fe(III) ions are the relevant oxidizing agent for the metal sulfides. The metal sulfide oxidation itself is a chemical process in which Fe(III) ions are reduced to Fe(II) ions and the sulfur moiety of the metal sulfide is oxidized to sulfate, and various intermediate sulfur compounds, e.g. elemental sulfur, polysulfide, thiosulfate, and polythionates. For example the oxidation of sphalerite (ZnS) to elemental sulfur is given in the following equation:

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