SBIR Phase I: A Novel Integrated Bioleaching Process for Chalcopyrite: An Alternative to Smelting

这个小企业创新研究一期项目将评估一种生物氧化难处理黄铜矿精矿的新方法。黄铜矿是一种硫化物铜矿石，由于产生SO2对冶炼产生负面环境影响，但已被证明难以通过生物氧化等方法处理。提出的工作将评估在一个新的综合生物浸出系统中黄铜矿精矿的浸出率。由于系统电化学、高温下有利的热力学、微生物铁（II）和硫氧化剂的存在以及特定操作参数的控制，黄铜矿的溶解应大大加快。ESCA和SEM/EDX等分析技术将用于监测黄铁矿和黄铜矿表面的反应。金属增溶将通过电感耦合等离子体光谱（ICP）进行监测。该项目的研究目标是验证铜浸出率的加速，并证明在一组确定的系统参数下表面反应的热力学和电化学控制。这项研究如果成功，将直接导致一种利用难选黄铜矿储量的新工艺的发展。据估计，其潜在市场价值达数亿美元。这项技术可以很容易地与目前的采矿实践相结合，并将大大减少采矿业对冶炼的依赖。

9861136 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will evaluate a novel approach to biooxidize refractory chalcopyrite ore concentrates. Chalcopyrite is a sulfidic copper ore which has a negative environmental impact upon smelting due to SO2 production, but which has proven difficult to process by approaches such as biooxidation.The proposed work will evaluate leach rates from a chalcopyrite ore concentrate in a novel integrated bioleaching system. . The dissolution of chalcopyrite should be greatly accelerated due to system electrochemistry, favorable thermodynamics at elevated temperature, the presence of microbial Fe (II) and sulfur oxidizers, and control of particular operational parameters. Analytical techniques such as ESCA and SEM/EDX will be used to monitor reactions on pyrite and chalcopyrite surfaces. Metal solubilization will be monitored by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP). The research objectives of this project are to verify the acceleration of copper leach rates and to demonstrate thermodynamic and electrochemical control of surface reactions under a defined set of system parameters. This investigation, if successful, would directly result in the development of a new process for utilizing reserves of refractory chalcopyrite ores. The potential market is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The technology could easily be integrated to scale with current mining practices and will substantially reduce the dependence of the mining industry on smelting.