Abstract
The feasibility of bacterial recovery of uranium from the low grade black schists occurring in the Okcheon district, South Korea, was investigated. Following the introduction of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, 80% of the uranium could be extracted from the schists, which contain 0.01% U3O 8 by weight, within 60 h at a pulp density of 100 g-ore/l. Only 18% of the uranium was extracted without microbial activity. The uranium-leaching efficiency was not greatly affected by the addition of Fe2+ in the range of 5-9 g/l, and the leaching efficiency of uranium from the schists by A. ferrooxidanscould be efficiently maintained at high pulp densities (up to 500 g-ore/l).
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 377-380 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2005 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by a research grant from Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.
Keywords
- Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
- Bioleaching
- Black schist
- Uranium