Solid-phase products of bacterial oxidation of arsenical pyrite

Abstract

Bacterial leaching of an As-containing pyrite concentrate produced acidic (pH < 1) leachates. During the leaching, the bacteria solubilized both As and Fe, and these two elements were distributed in solution-phase and solid-phase products. Jarosite and scorodite were the exclusive crystalline products in precipitate samples from the bacterial leaching of the sulfide concentrate.