Secondary copper sulfide bioleaching experiments

Bioleaching is one of the most effective methods of extracting valuable elements from low-grade, refractory secondary copper sulfide. In this research, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was used to leach refractory secondary copper sulfide from Fujian Province. The bioleaching microorganisms were added to the culture, domesticated, and column leaching experiments. These were based on different particle size ratios and carried out sequentially. Based on this experiments, the evolution disciplinarians of bacterial concentration, pH values and copper extraction rates were obtained at different stages. Using computed tomography (CT) technology, ore heap slumping inside the columns, cross section porosity evolution and leaching mechanisms were studied. The results indicate that bacterial concentration and pH values present trends that increase first and then stabilize. The proliferation of bacteria in the leaching columns is slower and the bacterial concentration is only 5×10⁷ per mL after 480 h. During the leaching process, fine particles tend to move to the bottom of columns and the ore heap slump phenomenon appears. On the top surface of the column the porosity tends to be greater with increase rate of 6.65%, conversely, this tends to be smaller at the column bottom, and its decreases rate is 8.29%. The slump degree is proportional to the fines content; the minimum slump is 1.7 mm and the maximum 6.15 mm. Ore particle size is the key factor in the leaching process; column B (with particle size r < 1 mm accounted for 28.41% of whole ores quality) shows the best copper extraction rate of 47.23% after 480 h.