Impact of Pulp Density on Extraction of Metals, By Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Pseudomonas fluorescens from Bauxite Ore

Mineral ores are the non-renewable resources of various metals. The extraction of metals is done only from the Ist and IInd grade ore particles and rest is left as such because of low metal content. Bacteria are the miraculous organisms as it can be used for the complete extraction of metals. In the present experiment, we have used the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Pseudomonas fluorescens as a bioleaching agent for iron and aluminum attribution from low grade bauxite ore collected from Radhanagari, Kolhapur India. Pulp density of the mineral ore is the appropriate concentration required for completion of the reaction. At specific pulp density, there is the maximum output of the extracted metals was found. In the present investigation, various pulp densities of the bauxite ore have been tried for the extraction of aluminum and iron. The maximum extraction of iron and aluminum was found 589.67mg (80.99%) and 286.45 mg (79.02%) at the pulp density of 5 and 4 g respectively by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. In the case of Pseudomonas fluorescens the maximum yield of aluminum was exhibited 288.34mg (39.60%) and iron was 242.6 mg (73.98%) at 4 g bauxite Ore. In the present study, we have also found that the increase in the pulp density of the ore decreased the process of extraction. Our results also strengthen the potential of these bacteria’s for extraction of aluminum and iron from bauxite ore by an eco-friendly way.