Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore
The bioleaching of an organic-rich polymetallic ore was conducted under conditions intended to probe the boundaries of microbial activity using iron and sulphur oxidising microorganisms and heterotrophs enriched from self-heating pyritic coal. Solution chemistry parameters such as rapidly increased...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Elsevier
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15218 |
| _version_ | 1848748834184757248 |
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| author | Watling, Helen Collinson, David Shiers, Denis Bryan, Christopher Watkin, Elizabeth |
| author_facet | Watling, Helen Collinson, David Shiers, Denis Bryan, Christopher Watkin, Elizabeth |
| author_sort | Watling, Helen |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The bioleaching of an organic-rich polymetallic ore was conducted under conditions intended to probe the boundaries of microbial activity using iron and sulphur oxidising microorganisms and heterotrophs enriched from self-heating pyritic coal. Solution chemistry parameters such as rapidly increased ORP and reduction in pH subsequent to inoculation point to the development of active microbial communities. The ease with which communities adapted to the organic-rich ore and the bioleaching systems indicated that the organic compounds were not present in leachates at toxic levels. Overall, extractions obtained in three series of inoculated tests were at 35 °C: 79–96% Zn, 48–82% Cu, 47–55% Ni and 79–86% Co; at 55 °C: 96–97% Zn, 72–80% Cu, 46–50% Ni and 82–83% Co. T-RFLP provided semi-quantitative estimates of species abundance. The greatest microbial complexity was observed with moderate pH and low solids loading. Microbial complexity was reduced significantly by low pH or increased solids loading. Nevertheless, efficient bioleaching was observed over a relatively wide range of operating conditions. Even under the more extreme conditions, the community profile was dominated by combinations of organisms not typically seen in most commercial operations. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:11:20Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-15218 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:11:20Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-152182017-09-13T13:40:18Z Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore Watling, Helen Collinson, David Shiers, Denis Bryan, Christopher Watkin, Elizabeth Bacteria Archaea Bioleaching Sulphide ores The bioleaching of an organic-rich polymetallic ore was conducted under conditions intended to probe the boundaries of microbial activity using iron and sulphur oxidising microorganisms and heterotrophs enriched from self-heating pyritic coal. Solution chemistry parameters such as rapidly increased ORP and reduction in pH subsequent to inoculation point to the development of active microbial communities. The ease with which communities adapted to the organic-rich ore and the bioleaching systems indicated that the organic compounds were not present in leachates at toxic levels. Overall, extractions obtained in three series of inoculated tests were at 35 °C: 79–96% Zn, 48–82% Cu, 47–55% Ni and 79–86% Co; at 55 °C: 96–97% Zn, 72–80% Cu, 46–50% Ni and 82–83% Co. T-RFLP provided semi-quantitative estimates of species abundance. The greatest microbial complexity was observed with moderate pH and low solids loading. Microbial complexity was reduced significantly by low pH or increased solids loading. Nevertheless, efficient bioleaching was observed over a relatively wide range of operating conditions. Even under the more extreme conditions, the community profile was dominated by combinations of organisms not typically seen in most commercial operations. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15218 10.1016/j.mineng.2012.10.014 Elsevier restricted |
| spellingShingle | Bacteria Archaea Bioleaching Sulphide ores Watling, Helen Collinson, David Shiers, Denis Bryan, Christopher Watkin, Elizabeth Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title | Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title_full | Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title_fullStr | Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title_short | Effects of pH, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| title_sort | effects of ph, temperature and solids loading on microbial community structure during batch culture on a polymetallic ore |
| topic | Bacteria Archaea Bioleaching Sulphide ores |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15218 |