The effect of acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria on the leaching of cobalt by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to determine if acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria influence the ability of T. ferrooxidans to solubilize cobalt. Short term (7 day) flask leaching studies were conducted wherein 28 strains of T. ferrooxidans were each incubated with one of three different cobalt sulfides (CoS, cobaltite flotation concentrate, or cobaltite ore), with and without ferrous iron and/or heterotrophic bacteria. Growth of T. ferrooxidans was determined by comparing cobalt solubilization and ferrous iron oxidation for inoculated and uninoculated control flasks. Under all conditions tested, except one, the addition of acidophilic heterotrophs was found to enhance the extent of cobalt leaching. Longer term (28 day) studies were conducted which included the addition of glucose as a controlled variable. The presence of heterotrophs enhanced the leaching of CoS by T. ferrooxidans under all conditions. Cobalt leaching from concentrate and high grade ore by T. ferrooxidans was enhanced by the addition of heterotrophs in all cases except when ferrous iron or glucose were absent from the leaching medium. The present studies indicate that cobalt solubilization is substrate and strain dependent and, in most cases, is increased when acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria are present. 13 refs., 3 tabs.