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. 2014:2014:787034.
doi: 10.1155/2014/787034. Epub 2014 Nov 16.

Cross-comparison of leaching strains isolated from two different regions: Chambishi and Dexing copper mines

Baba Ngom  1 , Yili Liang  1 , Xueduan Liu  1
Affiliations

Cross-comparison of leaching strains isolated from two different regions: Chambishi and Dexing copper mines

Baba Ngom et al. Biomed Res Int. 2014.

Abstract

A cross-comparison of six strains isolated from two different regions, Chambishi copper mine (Zambia, Africa) and Dexing copper mine (China, Asia), was conducted to study the leaching efficiency of low grade copper ores. The strains belong to the three major species often encountered in bioleaching of copper sulfide ores under mesophilic conditions: Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and Leptospirillum ferriphilum. Prior to their study in bioleaching, the different strains were characterized and compared at physiological level. The results revealed that, except for copper tolerance, strains within species presented almost similar physiological traits with slight advantages of Chambishi strains. However, in terms of leaching efficiency, native strains always achieved higher cell density and greater iron and copper extraction rates than the foreign microorganisms. In addition, microbial community analysis revealed that the different mixed cultures shared almost the same profile, and At. ferrooxidans strains always outcompeted the other strains.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Influence of initial pH and temperature on cell growth and iron oxidation rates of the Chambishi strains (solid lines) and Dexing strains (long dash lines). Effect of pH on (a) cell growth and (b) iron oxidation rates of the isolates; effect of temperature on (c) cell growth and (d) iron oxidation rates of the different leaching strains.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Influence of ferric iron and copper concentration on the growth and activity of the Chambishi strains (solid lines) and Dexing strains (long dash lines). Effect of ferric iron on (a) the growth and (b) the iron oxidation rates of the different strains; effect of copper on (c) the growth and (d) the iron oxidation rates of the strains.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in cell density and pH during bioleaching of low grade copper ores from Chambishi and Dexing with Chambishi strains (solid lines) and Dexing strains (long dash lines). Evolution of cell densities in pure and mixed cultures during the bioleaching of (a) Chambishi and (b) Dexing samples; changes in pH in pure and mixed cultures during the bioleaching of (c) Chambishi and (d) Dexing mineral samples.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Iron and copper extraction rates during bioleaching of low grade copper ores from Chambishi and Dexing with Chambishi strains (solid lines) and Dexing strains (long dash lines). Iron extraction rates of (a) Chambishi and (b) Dexing mineral samples; copper extraction rates of (c) Chambishi and (d) Dexing mineral samples.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Changes in bacterial composition in mixed cultures systems. Bacterial composition of Chambishi consortium during the bioleaching of (a) Chambishi and (b) Dexing mineral samples; bacterial composition of Dexing consortium during the bioleaching of (c) Chambishi and (d) Dexing mineral samples.
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