Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
BIOLEACHING
General aims
1. Students understand microbial bioleaching and its applications
2. Students understand commercial processes for microbial leaching
Specific Aims
1. Students understand reasons for conducting microbial leaching
2. Students understand most commonly organisms in microbial leaching
3. Students understand about types of microbial leaching reactions
4. Students understand direct bacterial leaching and indirect bacterial leaching
5. Students understand methods of microbial leaching in commercial processes
6. Students understand copper bioleaching and uranium bioleaching
4.1. Introduction
Microbial leaching is the process by which metals are dissolved from ore-
bearing rocks using microorganisms (proses yang memanfaatkan mikroorgaisme untuk
mengambil logam dari bebatuan). At present a number of ores cannot be economically
processed with chemical methods due to their low metal content. In addition, large
quantities of low-grade ores are produced during the separation of higher-grade ores and
are generally discarded in waste heaps. Throughout the world there are vast quantities of
such low-grade copper ores that cannot be profitably purified by conventional chemical
methods, but that could be processed by microbial leaching. There are also significant
quantities of nickel, lead, and zinc ores which could be leached.
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Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is the organism that has been most extensively
studied. It is a Gram-negative (cara pengecekan dengan memberikan pewarna) rod-
shaped bacterium which is 0.5-0.8 µm x 1.0-2.0 µm in size. An autotrophic aerobe
(sumber karbon = CO2), it can obtain carbon for biosynthesis solely from CO2 fixation,
and obtains its energy from the oxidation (energi diperoleh dari oksidasi) of Fe2+ to Fe3+
or from the oxidation of elemental sulfur and reduced sulfur compounds to sulfate.
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Examination of leaching dumps always shows the presence of mixtures of T.
thiooxidans and T. ferrooxidans. In pilot-plant reactors (50 liter), leaching can be
performed continuously in a cascade series with recycling of the cells and leachate
(hasilnya produk leaching).
Yields such as those in other areas of microbiology can be attained in the
laboratory under optimal conditions (temperature control, O2 and CO2 adjustment,
maintenance of pH around 2 - 3 and Eh around -300 mV) with very finely ground ores
in a tower (percolator), or better yet in fermentors under optimal conditions. However,
in field experiments, these conditions and yields cannot be realized due to the high cost.
Kalau tidak dilakukan bioleaching, pH rendah sangat mencemari
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through the rock and collects in the bottom most cavity from which it is pumped,
the minerals extracted, and the water reused after regeneration of bacteria.
Semua metode bisa dilakukan
Slope – di mountainside. Harus membawa bebatuan ke lereng gunung
Heap – digundukan asli. Apa adanya dia sehingga lebih ramah lingkungan
Yang paling efektif adalah in-situ leaching. Tetapi biayanya lebih mahal.
Figure 4.1 Method of (a) slope, (b) heap, (c) in situ leaching
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Reaksi merupakan reaksi oksidasi sehingga menggunakan mikroba autotrof aerob
Covellite is oxidized to copper sulfate:
Copper bioleaching plants have been in wide use throughout the world for many
years, generally operated as simple heap leaching (kenapa gapake slope? Bebatuan
harus dibawa ke gunung) processes but sometimes as combinations of heap and in-situ
leaching. The leaching solution (sulfate/Fe 3' solution) carries the microbial nutrients in
and the dissolved copper out. The solution is sprinkled over the heap and percolates
through the rock pile to the lower level where the copper-rich liquid is collected. The
copper-containing solution (up to 0.6g/1) is removed, the copper is precipitated, and the
water is reused after readjusting the pH to 2.
Countries in which microbial leaching of copper has been widely used include
the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Portugal, Spain, and Japan.
About 5% of the world copper production is obtained via microbial leaching. A single
installation in the United States has produced up to 200 tons of copper per day.
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This is an indirect leaching process since the microbial attack is not on the
uranium ore directly but on the iron oxidant. Ferric sulfate and sulfuric acid can be
produced by T. ferrooxidans from the pyrite within the uranium ore.
The pyrite reaction is used for the initial production of the Fe3+ leach solution. Pilot
plants operate with surface reactors similar to the trickling filters used in sewage.
Optimal uranium bioleaching conditions are pH 1.5 - 3.5, 35°C and 0.2% CO2 in
the incoming air (lebih banyak komponen nitrogen dan oksigen). Some thermophilic
strains are known which have a temperature optimum of 45 - 50°C.
Sumber energi dari oksidasi fero menjadi feri
In-situ leaching has the disadvantage that the permeability of the rock may be
low and the drilled passages may not always allow an adequate supply of nutrients and
oxygen (sulit untuk suppy oksigen dan nutrien) to enter deeply into the ore. In such
situations the heap system is often still used commercially for bioleaching of uranium.
Areas where uranium bioleaching has been carried out include the United States,
Canada, and South Africa.
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