The effect of particulate-induced hydrodynamic stress on the bioleaching of chalcopyrite by a Sulfolobus sp.

In slurry reactors, hydrodynamic stress originates primarily from interactions between particles and cells in the reactor. This form of stress has been shown to negatively affect the process performance. The present study centres on slurry reactors utilised in the bioleaching industry. The micro-organisms employed in these processes include mesophilic micro-organisms and, more recently, thermophilic microbes which have shown much promise for improving the rate and extent of leaching particularly of recalcitrant minerals such as chalcopyrite. The drawback to using high temperature microbes is that these thermoacidophiles, unlike their mesophilic counterparts, are Gram-negative Archaea, not bacteria, hence they do not possess resilient cell walls and are more prone to hydrodynamic injury.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Raja, Sashnee B

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Harrison, STL

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5413

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/5413