Bioleaching of copper from old flotation tailings samples (Copper Mine Bor, Serbia)

Abstract

Bioleaching of samples taken from depths of 10, 15, and 20 meters from old flotation tailings of the Copper Mine Bor was conducted in shaken flasks using extremely acidic water of Lake Robuleas lixiviant. Yield of copper after five weeks of the bioleaching experiment was 68.34±1.21% for 15 m sample, 72.57±0.57% for 20 m sample and 97.78±5.50% for 10 m sample. The obtained results were compared to the results of acid leaching of the same samples and it was concluded that bioleaching was generally more efficient for the treatment of samples taken from depths of 10 m and 20 m. The content of pyrite in the 20 m sample, which contained the highest amount of this mineral, was reduced after bioleaching. Benefits of this approach are: recovery of substantial amounts of copper, reducing the environmental impact of flotation tailings and the application of abundant and free water from the Robule acidic lake as lixiviant. Results of the experiment showed that bioleaching can be more efficient than acid leaching for copper extraction from flotation tailings with higher sulfide contents. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176016 i br. 173048]

Keywords

• bioleaching
• flotation tailings
• Lake Robule
• Bor