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Modelling a uranium ore bioleaching process
Author(s) -
Chien Daniel C. H.,
Douglas Peter L.,
Herman Dennis H.,
Marchbank Andrew
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450680312
Subject(s) - bioleaching , leaching (pedology) , thiobacillus ferrooxidans , uranium ore , uranium , copper ore , metallurgy , environmental science , process engineering , materials science , engineering , soil science , copper , soil water , ferrous
A dynamic simulation model for the bioleaching of uranium ore in a stope leaching process has been developed. The model incorporates design and operating conditions, reaction kinetics enhanced by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans present in the leaching solution and transport properties. Model predictions agree well with experimental data with an average deviation of about ± 3%. The model is sensitive to small errors in the estimates of fragment size and ore grade. Because accurate estimates are difficult to obtain a parameter estimation approach was developed to update the value of fragment size and ore grade using on‐line plant information.