Leaching of nickel-molybdenum sulphide ore in membrane biological reactor.

A membrane biological reactor was used to investigate the bioleaching of Mo from a sulphide ore from Guizhou, China, using the Mo-resistant thermophilic bacterium Sulpholobus metallicus. The results showed that the Mo concentration could be controlled by the membrane filter and that the toxicity of the Mo for the microorganism decreased during leaching. The Ni and Mo leaching rates varied with the Mo concentration. Maximum Ni and Mo leaching rates of 79.57% and 56.23%, respectively, were achieved by maintaining the Mo concentration at 395 g/l for a leaching time of 20 days at 65 degrees C, pH 2, aeration rate of 1.0 l/min and mineral concentration of 100 g/l.
A membrane biological reactor was used to investigate the bioleaching of Mo from a sulphide ore from Guizhou, China, using the Mo-resistant thermophilic bacterium Sulpholobus metallicus. The results showed that the Mo concentration could be controlled by the membrane filter and that the toxicity of the Mo for the microorganism decreased during leaching. The Ni and Mo leaching rates varied with the Mo concentration. Maximum Ni and Mo leaching rates of 79.57% and 56.23%, respectively, were achieved by maintaining the Mo concentration at 395 g/l for a leaching time of 20 days at 65 degrees C, pH 2, aeration rate of 1.0 l/min and mineral concentration of 100 g/l.