Attachment of L. ferrooxidans to Pyrite Mineral Surfaces
Sian M. La Vars, Benjamin Watts, Jamie S. Quinton, Sarah L. Harmer
TL;DR
This study explores how the bacterium L. ferrooxidans interacts with pyrite surfaces, changing their chemical and physical properties, which could improve mineral flotation and leaching processes.
Contribution
The study reveals that EPS from L. ferrooxidans can alter pyrite surfaces, potentially serving as a depressant in bioflotation or enhancing bioleaching.
Findings
L. ferrooxidans and EPS cause rapid oxidation of pyrite surfaces to Fe (III) oxyhydroxides.
Surface hydrophobicity of pyrite decreases significantly within 2 hours of bacterial exposure.
EPS production during early attachment of L. ferrooxidans may be useful in mineral processing.
Abstract
L. ferrooxidans and their metabolic products have been explored as viable flotation reagents of pyrite and chalcopyrite for froth flotation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and captive bubble contact angle measurements have been used to examine the surface physicochemical properties of pyrite upon exposure to L. ferrooxidans grown in HH medium at pH 1.8. C K-edge NEXAFS spectra, collected using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), indicate hydrophilic lipids, fatty acids, and biopolymers are formed at the mineral–bacterium interface within hours of exposure. The Fe L-edge NEXAFS show oxidation of the mineral surface from Fe (II) sulfide to Fe (III) oxyhydroxides. The leaching of the iron species at the pyrite surface is accelerated in the presence of…
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Taxonomy
TopicsMinerals Flotation and Separation Techniques · Metal Extraction and Bioleaching · Mineral Processing and Grinding