Rapid ferrous sulfate biooxidation
AssigneeMBX Systems, Inc.
InventorsJames E. Sharp, Kevin Stuffle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved process for using iron-oxidizing bacteria to reactivate the raffinate ferrous sulfate solution in chemical leach operations. The process uses a biological raffinate converter, or BRC, as a key feature of the process. The process provides enhanced efficiency and commercial utility over the best known biological process for converting raffinate ferrous sulfate. The resulting ferric sulfate then can be recycled back into the bioleaching process of, for example, copper from chalcocite.
Claims16
A system for the biological oxidation of a metal cation wherein said system comprises a reactor cell having a first opening to receive a sample containing said metal cation and a second opening through which said sample may exit, and wherein said reactor cell contains a packing material wherein said packing material comprises a coating which is colonized with oxidizing bacteria, and wherein said packing material comprises ring and pin configuration polyethylene balls.
A method for oxidizing a metal cation wherein said method comprises biological oxidation of the cations by oxidizing bacteria wherein the cations are contacted with said bacteria in a system which comprises a reactor cell having a first opening to receive a sample containing said metal cation and a second opening through which said sample may exit and wherein said reactor cell contains a packing material wherein said packing material comprises a graphite coating which is colonized with oxidizing bacteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.