The effect of activated carbon on bioleaching of low-grade chalcopyrite ores

The effect of adding activated carbon on the bioleaching of low-grade chalcopyrite ores using mixed acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and acidithiobacillus thiooxidans was investigated. The results show that the addition of activated carbon greatly accelerated the rate and efficiency of copper dissolution from lowgrade chalcopyrite ores. The solution with the concentration of 3.0 g/L activated carbon is most beneficial to the dissolution of copper. The set-aside time of the mixture of activated carbon and ores can have an impact on the bioleaching of low-grade chalcopyrite ores. A 2-day set-aside time is most favorable to the dissolution of copper. The enhanced dissolution rate and efficiency of copper can be attributed to the galvanic interaction between activated carbon and chalcopyrite. The addition of activated carbon depressed the dissolution of iron and bacterial oxidation of ferrous ions in solution. The lower redox potentials were more favorable to the copper dissolution than the higher potentials for low-grade chalcopyrite ores in the presence of activated carbon.