INTER 0 ‘US 2007017293581 cu») United States 2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2007/0172935 Al Bowker et al. (43) Pub, Date: Jul. 26, 2007 (54) TANK BIOLEACHING PROCESS: Related U.S. Application Data (76) Inventors: Clint Bowker, Randburg (ZA); John (63) Continuation of application No. PCTIZ.A0S/00104 Batty, Randbury (2); Gary Rorke, filed on J. 8, 200: Randburg (ZA), Hannes Strauss, Randbury (ZA): Paul Barnard G0) Foreign Application Priority Data Randburg (2): Chel Andre Du Plessis, Randburs (24) Jul. 20, 2004 (2A), 2008/5281 BRINKS HOFER G1) Inc. atnox ess] “CRP 300 (2006.01) . CHICAGO, TL 60610 (US) (2) USC 435/168; 435/41 on ABSTRACT (21) Appl. Nos 117623,166 A method of operating 1 tank biolesching process of a ‘concentrate, which includes the sep of supplying earbon in (2) Filed Jan, 15, 2007 ‘4 non-gascous Form io microbial cals used in the processUS 2007/0172935 AI Patent Application Publication Jul. 26, 2007 — | AugAooRa WIN | 1 Qi-y sINaRINN | | dl NORD ze~| sNO3VE-NON RIMSUS 2007/0172935 AI ‘TANK BIOLEACHING PROCESS [0001] This application is a continuation of and claims Priori 10 PCT application PCT/Z.A2005/000104 published jn English on Jan. 26, 2006 a8 WO 2006/010170 and to South African application ao, 2004/5281 filed Jul. 20, 2004, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference, FIELD OF THE INVENTION {0002} This invention relates generally to tank bioleach- Ing process and more particularly is concemed with the supply of earbon to microbial cells used in a tank bioleach- ing process. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In tank bioleuching microbial cells are used 10 ‘oxidise reduced sulphur and iron of milled mineral eoncen- trates which contain valuable or target metal, [0004] The tank or reactor contains @ sluny of the con= ‘centrate which is agitated and! to which nutrients are added The slury is sparged with air or enriched air and its pH is controlled usually in the range of 0:8-2 pH. [0005] _A¢ mesophilic temperatures, Below 45° C., bacteria ‘used while at thermophilic temperatures, above 43° C., archaea are used to catalyze the oxidation ‘process whieh results in the decomposition of the mineral. The valuable metal is thus ether directly solublised or is down-stream recovery is improved. [0006] ‘The microbial cells which are wed inthis type of bioleaching process are usually chemolithrops and. grow autouphically by fixing carbon dioxide, from the almo- sphere or in @ supplied gas phase, inorder to satisfy thei ‘eachon roguirements. Microbial cells require carkon a fundamental component of cellular metabolites and func- tional products [0007] In the case of themophlic bioleaching (above 45° (C) the use of enriched air is important due 10 the reduced solubility and resulting reduced! mass tansler of CO, and ‘oxygen With un increase in temperature, The enriched ai ‘may contain an elevated concentration of oxygen or carbon ‘dioxide for is well documented that such elevated concen- trations are required in order ta aehieve optimal microbial growth and ferrous and sulphur oxidation rats. [0008] The oxygen and earbon dioxide required to enrich the air which is sparged info the reactor are somally produced by generation plants. The capital and operating ‘costs of these plants are however significant with the cost ‘associated with carbon dioxide being particulary expensive, Fare, the utilization percentage of supplied carbon dion ‘de during a bioleaching process can be low, offen less than 40%, This adds materially ta the cost of opemting & bioleaching plant, [0009] In some instances the concentrate material that is Subjected to bioleaching contains silver, in addition to the metal of interest, usually copper, nickel or gold, The pres- fence of silver may in certain instances result in severe inhibitory effects towards microbial cells, and thus nega- tively affect the bioleaching process. Although silver is only sparingly soluble under typical bioleaching conditions, dise ‘olution ofthe mineral in Which silvers contained result i Jul. 26, 2007 the transient presence of silver in solution before complex: ation and precipitation occurs in the reactor. Suc transient solubility s sullicient to result in rapid interaetion of silver ‘with microbial cells, where te silver most commonly pen- cetates the coll membrane and binds, with high affinity t0 ‘compounds contained in the cellular eytoplasm. The com- outs with which silver is most likely to interact in the cell fare the sulphur-contsining aminoacids cysteine and ‘methionine, amongst other. Silver inhibitory effets can eulily be observed by transmission electron microscopy, ia ‘conjunction with metal analysis techniques, as the presence of silver nodules inside allected cells SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The invention provides # method of operating & tank bioleaching process of a concentrate, which includes the step of supplying carbon in a nongascous form 1 ‘microbial cells nsed in the process, This results in lower carbon costs and has the unexpected benefit of reducing the Inhibitory effect of silver toward the microbial cells. [0011] Carbon which is supplied to the process in the aforementioned manner can be in place of, of in addition 10, ‘carbon which i supplied tothe proces in the form of earboa dioxide [0012] _ Any appropriate source can be sed for supplying arbor ina nongaseous fon The source may be selected {rom water-soluble carbon and inorganic carbonaceous sald ‘compounds such as earbonates. [0013] Preferably the carbon is derived fiom an organic Soluble carbon which may be selected from yeast, a yeast extract, and carbon extracts or earbon derived irom aetvated sludge, aanery eluents, spent bioleaeing biomass, molas- ses, com staep liquor, sucrose, glucose and methanol [0014] Yeast extract is a preferred carbon source for it ‘sally contains a number of nuteitonsl compounds such as vitamins, amino aids, and co-factors, in addition to carbon, which promote microbial growth, Similar compounds include meat extract. Such complex nutritional compounds ‘may be used on their own oF i conjunction with pure earboa sources, The aim of using such mixtures (as yeust extrit) would be to replace at Teast the carbon supplied by the complex nuttional source, and thus reduce the overall ceansimption of the yeast exteet. [0015] Complex nutritional sources such as yeast extract contain a large variety of other nutritional compounds ‘adltion to carbon, Amongst these are compounds wit & high alfinity for complexing silver from solution, These compounds are thought to be suiphur-containing amino acids, but may also inelude other cently unknown com- pounds. The unexpected benefit is tha these eompounds act by rapidly scavenging silver from the dissolved state ths preventing andor reducing the detrimental interaction of Silver with the microbial or bioleaching cells. This mecha- ism facilitates @ more robust bioleaching process for ores ‘containing silver that would otherwise prolibit the process: ing of such ores by biohydrometllurgieal means. [0016] Puro carbon sources such as suerose ean be used in ‘combination with complex nutrient sources (euch as yeast extract), The use of suerose has been found to have an ‘unexpected benefit in such applications as it scems to increase the cell membrane robisiness, stability’ and integeUS 2007/0172935 AI rity under the harsh biolesching conditions. This is beneti- fom an operation process point of view. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The invention is further described by way of ‘example with reference tothe accompanying drawing which schematically illustrates tank bioleaching process operated in accordance with the principles of the invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS, [0018] The accompanying drawing illustrates, somewhat schematically, a tank hioleaching process 10. Inthe process a slurry 12 which contains mineral concentrates milled to 2 small particle size, typically less than 80 micrometers, is directed to a reactor or tank 14 which includes & motor driven impeller 16 used for agitating the str. The shiny is ‘inoculated with known acteria and, optionally, nutrients 18 fare supplicd to the shumy in the reaetor in accordance with known estera [0019] Gas 20 is supplied to a sparging system 22 in the Feactor The gas may be ir which is enriched with oxygen 24 and, optionally, earhon dioxide 26, sooording fo require [0020] The sluny in the reactor is kept at desired pH Jevel and at a desired temperature, in accordance with known criteria, so thatthe bioleaching process decomposes ‘or solubilises the target metals which are subsequeatly recovered in a downstream process 28, [0021] _As has been explained inthe preamble hereto the ‘arbont dioxide source 26 represents a significant cost factor inthe bioleaching process, The cost of generating the carbon «dioxide is high and, moreover, the uilization percentage of the carbon dioxide, by the sary inthe reactor, is low. This means, in effect, that a significant proportion of the earbon dioxide which is generated is not uscd and escepes 10 ‘atmosphere [0022] While organic carbon supplementation is. well, known in the art of culturing biolesching cells, this is not ‘currently usod in any commercial tank bioleaching operation ‘of which the applicant is aware. The unexpected benefis ia terms of silver scavenging and increased cell membrane robustness ae also not ualicipated at commerval scale, The ‘invention provides that all or par ofthe earbon requirement ‘of the microbial cells in the bioleaching process is met by supplying carbon 32 in a non-gaseous form to the reactor. A preferrad cabo source, ia this respec, is a water soluble Yeast extract, which may be wsed in combination witha pure ‘carbon source such as sverose, [0023] | Most bioleaching microorganisms have an obligate Feqquirement for carbon dioxide as ther sole source of earbon although some strains, eg, feultative autotrophic and fee~ tultative heterotrophic, sre les perempiony in this respect. Such sting aze thus able 0 use carbon sources other than ‘carbon dioxide ether as a substitute forthe earbon dioxide ‘rasa supplement tothe carbon dioxide, Iti thus possible to achieve an optimal tank biolesching condition by sup- plying a water-soluble organic carbon source, such asa yeast ‘exirct 32, 10 the tank. The carbon source is preferably supplied in liquid form and is pumped int the reactor 14 or, Jul. 26, 2007 as is indicated by a dotted line, into the slury feed 12 or, altematively or additionally, is added asa dry powder the slury inthe tank. [0024] ‘The non-gaseons carbon is maintained in the reae- {or at a concentration which may lie inthe range of from 10 ‘0 600 mal. although, according to requirement, higher or lower concentrations of the carbon source material may prevail inthe shu. [0025] Preferably use is made of microbial sts in the bioleaching process which are more adept at utilizing ‘onganie-based carbon sources, such as yeast extract, rather than carbon dioxide. Yeast extmct is a product which is produced by methods, known inthe ar, that include a ysis step (ie. rupturing ofthe cells) thus releasing the contents of the ces, The water-soluble cell content is separated from the cell particulates and is produced either as a paste or as a dry water-soluble powder. The final product, known as yeast extract, contains & high concentration and variety of ‘amino acids, vitamins, and organic and inomganic nutrients And is therefore suitable for use in microbial growth media. [0026] The yeast extract can often be oblained ata lower ‘ost, measured on carbon content, than CO,, Also, the ‘tlsation of earbom inthe yeast, by the microbial cells, is more effective (ie. more éarbon is used) than when the carbon is presented in gascous form ic. as CO, The use of yeast extract with pure carbon sourees such as suerose, my ‘duce the overll cost of such carbon supplementation. [0027] 11 is possible to make use of altemative or addi tional earbon sources which inchade water-soluble complex carbon extracts which are peoduced from plant material sueh fs molasses and corm steep liquor or wastewater from tannery effluents or activated shige from sewage plants These substances contain mainly carbon compounds but usually contain a smaller variety of amino acids and vitae sins than yeast extict. [0028] Other soluble carbon sources, suituble for use in the invention, are carbon compounds that are purifiod to a level where the main constituent compound dominates and can be readily identified, such as sucrose, glucose and vethanol [0029] By making use of water-soluble earbon source, Such as a yeast extract (complex austional source) alone oF ‘in gombination with sucrose (a pure carbon source), in. tank bioleaching process, the operating and capital costs of the racess are reduced die tothe lower or eliminated require ‘ent for carbon dioxide. Other benefits which arise include the following [0030} (a) improved ease of operation due to smaller ‘gs sparging requirement; [0031] (b) reduced agitator and sparging capital snd ‘operating costs [0032] () reduced inhibitory effets eased by silver; [0033] (4) increased cell membrane robustness resulting in improved process robustness; [0034] (¢) improved mutvtional conditions inthe shury in the reactor. This is as a result ofthe release of amino ‘acids, vitamins and other micronutrients from the ‘organic carbon source to optimise microbial growth and bioleaching performance; andUS 2007/0172935 AI [0035] (1) increased solubility of sulphur compounds is the presence of organic soluble carbon thus increasing the sulphur oxidation rate and therefore improving the cellectiveness of the bioleaching process. [0036] The benefits can be achieved with either meso- Philc or thermophilic tank bioleaching processes [0037] Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled in the art, its to be understood that this invention is not Timited to the particular embodiment described by way of ‘exumple hereinabove, 1. A method of operating tank bioleaching process of a ‘concentrate, which icles the step of supplying earbon in ‘8 non-gaseous form to microbial eels use in the process. 2. Amethod according to clas I whic ineludes the step ‘of supplying carbon in the form of carbon dioxide to the bioleaching process, ‘3. Amethod aceording © claim 1 wherein the carbon in non-giseous form is derived from a source selected Irom ‘water-soluble carbon and inorganic carbonaceous solid com- pounds. Jul. 26, 2007 4. method according to claim 1 where the earboa. ‘non-gaseous form is derived from an organic salle earbon Which is selected fom yeast, a yeast extract, and carbon erived from activated sludge, tannery effluents, spent bioleaching Biomass, molasses, com steep liquor, suerose, alucose and methanol 5. A method aceording to claim 1 wherein the carbon in ‘non-gascous form is derived at lest from sucrose in com bination with a yeast extract 6. \ method according to claim 1 wherein the earbon in ‘non-gaseous form is supplied to the microbial cells to reduce ‘an inhibitory effect of silver in the conceatrate, 0 the microbial cols 7. A method of reducing an inhibitory effect of silver, contained in @ concentrate which is subjected to a tank bioleaching process, to microbial cells used in the process, the method including the step of supplying carbon in & non-paseous form to the concentrate,