A Review on Microorganisms’ Assisted Leaching of Copper from Electronic Waste and Low Grade Copper OrePages 217-228
Elias Tadesse Fisha Abstract:
Since the dawn of civilization, copper has significantly contributed to societal advancements. The current global demand for copper, driven by its extensive use in energy, electronics, and biomedical applications, has surpassed all historical precedents. With the exploitation of high-grade copper ore reserves, mining companies turn their attention to the extraction of copper from low-grade ores and electronic waste. The most significant of these low-grade sources is chalcopyrite, which poses challenges due to its tendency of passivation formation under oxidative leaching conditions. Bioleaching has emerged as a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable method for extracting copper from low-grade ores and electronic waste. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this process due to their ability to form biofilms, enhancing the surface properties and adhesion necessary for mitigating the passivation film and effective copper recovery. This review highlights recent advancements in bioleaching methodologies and mechanisms, the role of specific microorganisms in the process, factors influencing bioleaching efficiency, isolation of microorganisms, bacterial attachment to the ores and current applications of bioleaching in copper recovery. By consolidating these cutting-edge developments, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of microorganisms’ assisted copper leaching to revolutionize copper extraction from low-grade ores and electronic waste.
Keywords: Bioleaching,
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans,
Low-grade ore,
Chalcopyrite,
Biofilm
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