Flotation Concentrations of Polymetallic Sulfides from Serbian Ore Deposits as Biohydrometalurgical Substrates: Laboratory Tests

Abstract

There are three ore deposits of polymetallic sulfide ores that are of economic value in Serbia. Only ore deposit "A" (in central part of Serbia) is mine in exploitation (underground and surface), including and floatation plant. Dominant ore minerals at deposit "A" are: galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite, with accompanying pyrrhotite, and some arsenopyrite. Lead, zinc and copper concentrates are obtained in particular. Approximately three million tons of reserves have been confirmed at deposit "A". About one million tons of reserves have been confirmed at ore deposit "B", which is located in Eastern Serbia. Important ore minerals at this deposit are: chalcopyrite, enargite, sphalerite and galena. Accompanying mineral is pyrite including pyrrhotite. Ore deposit "C" is located in Western Serbia, and has confirmed reserves of more than one million tons. Galena (with some anglesite), sphalerite and tetrahedrite are dominant ore minerals, and pyrite as accompanying mineral. Ore deposit "C" has legitimately exploitative amounts of industrial mineral barite. All three sites have significant amounts of silver, while deposit "B" has gold as well. This paper presents preliminary results of bacterial leaching of flotation concentrates from afore mentioned ore deposits obtained by shake flask test technique during four weeks, with pure culture of acidophilic and mezophilic allochthonous strain of the Aciditihiobacillus sp. B2 (the isolate was identified using the EzTaxon server on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence data). Deposit "A" was tested, in this investigation step, only for copper concentrate while other two deposits were examined polymetallic bulk concentrates (obtained in pilot flotation plants).