Commercial application ofuranium bioleaching

The authors discuss one of the scientific-and-technological advance areas in mineral and mining waste processing — biotechnology which greatly improves integrated development of mineral resources and enhances environmental efficiency. The factors of biometallurgical process efficiency and bacteria resistance to impact of ions of different metals and transformation induced by chemical activity of microorganisms are examined. The most suitable microorganisms for uranium leaching from mineral raw materials and milled tailings are listed. Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans are found to be the most widely used bacteria in the bioleaching process of uranium. The bioleaching performance is discussed starting from a mineral deposit genesis which governs the type and mineralogy of rock-forming minerals. The studies into feasibility of commercial application of bacterial leaching of uranium from low-grade ore and tailings are reviewed. The examples of industrial use of bacterial leaching of uranium in various countries are given. The features of bioleaching process in operation at the foreign production plants are analyzed. The good and bad points of heap and agitation uranium bioleaching are assessed.

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