ISSN:
0138-4988
Keywords:
Life Sciences
;
Life Sciences (general)
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
Leaching processes can be classified in chemolithotrophic and organoheterotrophic mechanisms. In the case of chemolithotrophic leaching sulphide minerals, elemental sulphur, ferrous iron and a number of different reduced metals will be oxidized in a solution containing sulphuric acid of bacterial and/or chemical origin.Organoheterotrophic leaching however is connected with the accumulation of microbial metabolites such as organic acids, proteins, peptides and polysaccharides, which are capable to disintegrate ores, minerals or industrial wastes through dissolution, formation of complexes or chelates.Whereas at the present time chemolithotrophic leaching processes are in operation in industrial scale for the winning of copper, uranium and some other special metals, organoheterotrophic processes, their problems and technical applications are still under study.Therefore problems of organoheterotrophic leaching of chemical high resistant materials such as phosphorus furnace slag and zircon from the Baltic shield have been investigated with regard to possible technical applications for the winning of rare earth elements (REE) and other precious metals.Using a strain of Acetobacter methanolicus which is able to accumulate large amounts of gluconic acid on the basis of glucose or glucose containing by-products, leaching effects up to 90% of REE could be realized in the case of phosphorus furnace slag and up to 45% in the case of zircon.
Additional Material:
2 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/abio.370070504
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