Removal of copper from molybdenite concentrate by mesophilic and extreme thermophilic microorganisms

Mixed mesophilic and extreme thermophilic bioleaching were evaluated to remove copper from the molybdenite concentrate.Bioleaching tests were carried out in shake flasks and in a 50-L bioreactor.The shake flask tests were performed with different inoculum size,solids density,pH.and temperature in order to identify optimum conditions.The highest amount of copper elimination,75%was obtained with extreme thermophilic microorganisms(at 12%inoculation,10%solids,65℃and a pH of 1.5).The highest copper elimination by mesophilic microorganisms was 55%(at 12%inoculation,5%solids,30℃at pH 2).The optimum conditions in shake flask tests were applied to 7 days batch tests in a50-L bioreactor.Extreme thermophilic experiment gave the best copper elimination of 60%(at 12%inoculation,10%solids,65℃and pH 1.5).Mesophilic test removed 50%of the copper(at 12%inoculation,10%solids,35℃at pH 2).

Dielectric Properties and Microwave Heating of Molybdenite Concentrate at 2.45 GHz Frequency

Dielectric properties were measured using cavity perturbation method. The temperature rising behaviors of molybdenite concentrate were investigated in the field of microwave. This process was conducted to show the microwave absorption properties of molybdenite concentrate and the feasibility of microwave roasting molybdenite concentrate to prepare high purity MOO3. The dielectric constant,dielectric loss,and loss tangent increase from 3. 51 to 5. 04,0. 22 to 0. 51 and 0. 065 to 0. 102 respectively. They are proportional to the apparent density of molybdenite concentrate in the range of 0. 9-1. 4 g/cm3. The results show that the molybdenite concentrate has good microwave absorption capacity in the conventional density range. The temperature rising curves show that the apparent heating rate of the molybdenite concentrate increases with the increase in microwave power and decreases with the increase in the sample mass and thickness. The temperature of concentrate sample of 100 g reaches approximately 800 ℃ after 5 min of microwave treatment at 0. 5 kW of power. Our findings show that it is feasible to prepare high-purity MOO3from molybdenite concentrate by microwave roasting.

Intensified bioleaching of low-grade molybdenite concentrate by ferrous sulfate and pyrite

Intensifying effects of ferrous sulfate and pyrite on bioleaching of low-grade molybdenite concentrate were studied in this paper. The experimental results show that the oxidation dissolution of molybdenite can be accelerated with the addition of either ferrous sulfate or pyrite in bi- oleaching medium. Pyrite has better enhancing effect than ferrous sulfate, and the highest molybdenum leaching rate in pyrite-added solutions is 20.85 %, increasing by 12.64 % compared with that in 9 K leaching system. Molybdenum leaching rate does not increase linearly with the increase of the addition of either ferrous sulfate or pyrite in each type solution. Great amounts of [NH4Fe3（SO4）2（OH）6] and [KFe3（SO4）2（OH）6] with different morphologies will be deposited on molybdenite ores when the additions of Fe from ferrous sulfate or pyrite exceed that from 9 K leaching system by 0.5 times, and these deposits hinder the oxidation dissolution of molybdenite to some extent.