№60-15

Laboratory investigation of the process of heavy metals bioleaching as an acid mine drainage phenomena

O. Kovrov¹, I. Klimkina¹, A. Samarska², S. Krasovskyi¹

¹ Dnipro University of Technology, Dnipro, Ukraine

²Dnipro National University of Railway Transport Named after Academician V. Lazaryan, Dnipro, Ukraine

Coll.res.pap.nat.min.univ. 2020, 60:150-161

https://doi.org/10.33271/crpnmu/60.150

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ABSTRACT

Purpose. To investigate in laboratory conditions the peculiarities of bioleaching of heavy metals by bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans sp. as the phenomenon of acid mine drainage.

Methodology. The research methodology deals with the study of the patterns of acid mine drainage chemical processes in mine sulfur-containing rocks due to the activity of acidophilic bacteria of the A. ferrooxidans. The process of leaching of sulfur and copper from artificially prepared culture media is investigated. The quantitative determination of the copper ions in the samples of the culture medium was performed by the colorimetric method. A detailed method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to evaluate in detail the changes in iron and copper concentrations in the media samples and the detailed microelement analysis.

Findings. A number of experiments have been performed on the bioabsorption and bioleaching of heavy metals in culture media with A. ferrooxidans. Bacterial activity has been shown to result in a gradual decrease in pH in culture media due to the growth of A. ferrooxidans resulting in heavy metals leaching into the solution.

Originality. New dependencies on bioleaching and bioabsorption of heavy metals in culture media due to the growth of acidophilic bacteria have been established. Thus, during the 12 days of the experiment in the medium with elemental sulfur, the concentration of sulfuric acid increased by 2.5-3 times, the pH of the solution decreased from 2.66 to 2.17 in average, and the volume flow of NaOH to neutralize H₂SO₄ in the solution increased from 0.73 to 1.83 ml. On medium with copper sulfide Cu₂S the concentration of iron due to its absorption by bacteria decreased from 113.42 to 44.13 mmol/l in average, the concentration of copper increased from 2.77 to 12.1 mmol/l, the pH of the solution decreased from 2.63 to 2.12 units.

Practical implications. The results of the research allow develop effective measures to eliminate acid mine drainage phenomenon from rock mass containing heavy metal sulfides.

Keywords: acid mine drainage, bioleaching, heavy metals, culture medium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

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