Biological-Chemical Oxidation of Ore Minerals at Pezinok Deposit

Abstract

The article presents results of leaching experiments of the comparison between chemical and biological-chemical leaching, at the same conditions in solution, of ores from the Sb-(Au-) base metal deposit Pezinok (Malé Karpaty Mts., Western Carpathians, Slovakia). The research study shows the oxidation order and the progression of present ore minerals (löllingite, arsenopyrite, stibnite, native Sb, gudmundite, berthierite, pyrite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite). There are discussed differences between chemical and biological-chemical leaching activity of various ore minerals at the surface of polished sections. The extent of the leaching of sulphide minerals is significantly higher than that without bacteria.

Keywords

• sulphide minerals
• chemical oxidation
• biological-chemical oxidation
• Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
• Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans
• dissolution patterns