I am very interested in the field of hydrometallurgy and decided developed a manufacturing plant copper by hydrometallurgy method. However, due to the use of sulfide ores (Cu-Fe-S) we are forced use of bioleaching technology. Does the subject written in the articles for procedures for hydrometallurgy, is this done on an industrial scale?
Bioleaching has been used for many year as heap bioleaching, dump bioleaching or concentrate bioleaching on a commercial level.
Check out the following paper as a background on bioleaching and previous applications:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-003-1404-6
Yes. Apart from the what Cabsu added here as a great review paper, right now, in Iran also you can find Bio-heap leaching on pilot plant as well as industrial level at NICICO on sulfide copper ore. Experimental investigation had been conducted in a Ph.D thesis of Dr. M. Lotfalian from Bahonar University of Kerman.
Yes. But an efficient oxidation at industrial level has only been achieved for secondary copper ores (i.e. minerals such as covellite, chalcocite, bornite possibly, among other less common).
Chalcopyrite, main copper ore, is still a challenge not overcome as a source of bioleaching of copper.
What Marco mentioned is true. Apart from jarosite precipitation which is a major problem in bioleaching, chalcopyrite has a refractory nature to hydrometallurgical processes. Optimization of chalcopyrite bioleaching applications are still in progress via adjusting Eh, temperature and pH or using several catalysts like silver and chloride (Watling, 2006; Li et al., 2013; Bevilaqua et al., 2013; Feng et al., 2013).
I am adding the reviews and research papers I cited here:
Li et al. (2013)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001868613000195
Watling (2006)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304386X06001125
Bevilaqua et al. (2013)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304386X13001138
Feng et al. (2013)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852412018068
You are absolutely at right direction. Bioleaching is valuable for leaching of copper from Fe-Cu-S. You can use different acidophiles to conduct this process. You may find literatures. But the process is very slow than acid leaching.
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