Zinc recovery during refractory ore bioo

This study investigates the recovery of zinc and gold during the biooxidation of refractory ore using indigenous microbial consortia derived from acid mine drainage. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of two enrichment cultures—one iron oxidizing and one sulfur oxidizing—in enhancing metal recovery. Methodologically, the cultures were physiologically and molecularly characterized, revealing high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to known acidophiles such as Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus species. The results demonstrated that the combined consortium achieved biooxidation of Hualilan ore, leading to a remarkable increase in gold recovery up to 96.42% under optimal conditions of low pH density in 1X medium. Additionally, effective zinc bioleaching was observed, reaching 86%, with enhanced recovery in cultures supplemented with iron. Kinetic studies indicated that recovery was constrained by diffusion processes through a jarosite layer rather than by chemical reaction rates. This recovery process not only enhances metal extraction but also presents an environmentally favorable method for ore treatment.