Eco-friendly processing of sulfidic polymetallic concentrates using biohydrometallurgy

Abstract

Pyrometallurgical processing of sulfidic ores for recovery of non-ferrous metals is a traditional method. It requires the use of high-grade concentrates with high metal content, which are usually produced by flotation. A delay in exploration and exploitation of new deposits resulted in the involvement of lower-grade ores and ores with complex compound composition in the treatment. The development of methods for the processing of polymetallic difficult-to-beneficiation sulfidic concentrates is a relevant issue. In this paper, an eco-friendly technology for polymetallic sulfidic ore processing is proposed. It includes a biohydrometallurgical step for processing of low-grade polymetallic sulfidic concentrate and a pyrometallurgical step for processing of high-grade concentrates. The biotechnological step of the technology is a combination of leaching of the concentrate with biogenic ferric iron and bioregeneration of leaching solution with the use of acidophilic microorganisms. The results are relevant to the development of a two-step biohydrometallurgical technology for processing of copper-zinc concentrate with a closed cycle of technological flows. This technology could be a promising technique to reduce the environmental hazard of metallurgical plants.