Strategies for efficient start-up of continuous biooxidation process for refractory gold ores

Chandraprabha, MN and Modak, JM and Natarajan, KA and Raichur, AM (2002) Strategies for efficient start-up of continuous biooxidation process for refractory gold ores. In: Minerals Engineering, 15 (10). 751-753 .

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Abstract

Strategies for efficient start-up of a continuous process for biooxidation of refractory gold ore and concentrate obtained from Hutti, Gold Mines Limited (HGML), India are discussed in this work. The biooxidation of the concentrate at high pulp density (10%) with wild strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans isolated from HGML mines is characterized by significant lag phase (20 days) and incomplete oxidation (35%) even after prolonged operation (60 days). Two strategies, biooxidation with concentrate adapted cells and a step leaching strategy, in which the pulp density is progressively increased from 2% to 10% were considered and the latter resulted in efficient biooxidation of concentrate. Conversion of such a process from batch to continuous operation is shown to result in complete biooxidation of the concentrate and gold extraction efficiency in excess of 90%. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Minerals Engineering
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	Gold ores;Bacteria;Bioleaching;Biooxidation
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Chemical Engineering Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	28 Jul 2011 06:31
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2011 06:31
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/39411

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