[Ferrous ion oxidation and uranium solubilization from a lowgrade ore by "Thiobacillus ferrooxidans" (author's...

The microbiological oxidation of ferrous ion and the extraction of uranium from a low-grade ore has been studied using an adapted strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The effect of temperature, pH, volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, K1a, and aeration number, Ia, on the activity of the microorganism has been determined. The activation energy for ferrous iron oxidation was calculated to be - 13.9 +/- 0.1 kcal/mole and inactivation (thermal death of bacteria) 53.3 +/- 0.2 kcal/mole. Temperature coefficient, Q10, was estimated to be 1.8. Uranium extraction varied between 80 and 100%.