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Updated: Jun 29, 2025

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Published on: October 5, 2019
Differential surface modification mechanism of chalcopyrite and pyrite by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and its response
Chao Su1, Jinpeng Cai1, Qifang Zheng1
1State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Green Separation and Enrichment of Strategic Mineral Resources, Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China.
Abstract:
Mineral processing encounters the challenge of separating chalcopyrite and pyrite, with the conventional high alkali process characterized by issues such as large dosages of reagents, complex procedures, and environmental pollution. This study addresses this challenge by isolating and enriching Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (T·f) from acidic mine drainage, employing it as a biosurfactant. The modification mechanism of T·f was thoroughly analyzed. Fe dissolution through biological oxidation formed a passivation layer (jarosite [KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6], elemental sulfur (S0), and metal sulfides (Cu/Fe-S) on the surface of minerals. Metal oxides, hydroxides, and sulfates were detected on the surface of two minerals, but the difference was that elemental sulfur (S0) and copper sulfide (Cu-S) were detected on the surface of chalcopyrite. elucidating the fundamental reason for the significant difference in surface hydrophobicity between chalcopyrite and pyrite. T·f has been successfully used as a biosurfactant to achieve copper-sulfur separation.
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