Abstract
The kinetics of the bioleaching of pyrite by iron-oxidizing bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was studied three mineral samples from the Yanahara, Hanaoka and Uchinotai Mines. Bioleaching experiments were at 30°C and pH 2 in a well-mixed batch reactor, along with adsorption experiments of the bacteria to pyrite samples. The adsorption equilibrium data were analyzed to evaluate the maximum adsorption capacity the equilibrium constant in the Langmuir isotherm. The bacterial adsorption parameters were practically to one another in magnitude. The experimental data for the time-variation of liquid-phase concentrations iron leached and free bacteria were consistent with our kinetic model previously proposed for bioleaching of minerals. The kinetic parameters appearing in the model, the growth yield and specific growth rate of adsorbed bacteria, were evaluated by curve-fitting using the experimental data. The evaluated kinetic parameters unaffected by difference in the crystallinity of pyrite from different localities. Thus, nearly identical bioleaching rates were achieved in the different pyrite samples.
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