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Leaching of a silicate and carbonate copper ore with heterotrophic fungi and bacteria, producing organic acids
Author(s) -
Kiel Hildegard,
Schwartz W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
zeitschrift für allgemeine mikrobiologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0044-2208
DOI - 10.1002/jobm.19800201005
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , copper , chemistry , bioleaching , aspergillus niger , carbonate , zinc , sucrose , silicate , microorganism , environmental chemistry , bacteria , food science , geology , organic chemistry , soil science , soil water , paleontology
Leaching of metals with carbon‐heterotrophic microorganisms and organic acids as active agents has been performed with Timna copper ore containing 1.1% copper as carbonates and silicate and with some other metal oxides. Aspergillus niger surface cultures on a 14% sucrose fermentation medium yielded 87.3% of total copper from a 10% suspension within 2 weeks of leaching. On sulfite liquor as an industrial waste product A. niger solubilized 73.8% Cu within 4 weeks. In percolators with 14% sucrose medium up to 1780 ppm copper were found in solution. In leaching experiments with a sea water medium containing 7% sucrose only 684 ppm Cu were soluble. Leaching with lactobacilli containing whey yielded 83.4% of the total copper in 4 weeks.