Bioleaching of lateritic nickel ore with acidophilic bacteria

Although the lateritic nickel ores have been estimated to constitute about 72% of the known nickel reserves of the world, only 40% of nickel can be produced from lateritic ores. the beneficiation of lateritic nickel deposits by traditional methods falls short due to complex nature of lateritic ores. in this study, the dissolution capacities of nickel, iron and cobalt from çaldağ (manisa, turkey) lateritic nickel ores were investigated employing acidophilic mesophilic at. ferrooxidans and at. thiooxidans. bioleaching tests were conducted in erlenmeyer flasks at 135 rpm and 30 oc. in these tests, the effects of solids ratio and amount of elemental sulphur on metal (ni, co and fe) dissolution from the lateritic ore were examined. the maximum dissolution yield of nickel, iron, cobalt were determined respectively as 94%, 83% and 92.6% by bioleach processes which containing 7% sulphur, 1% solids and the bacterial culture of at. thiooxidans.