FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI

P. M. B 1526, OWERRI

IMO STATE

A SEMINAR PRESENTATION

ON

BIOMINING AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

PRESSENTED BY

IHEZUONU MELVIS KELECHI

20131864715

SUBMITTED TO

BIOTECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

SUPERVISED BY
PROF. H. C. NWIGWE

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

AWARD OF THE BACHELORS DEGREE (B . TECH) IN
BIOTECHNOLOGY.

MARCH, 2018

i
 ABSTRACT

Metal contamination of soil environment and the assessment of the

chances of its risk to the aquatic environment, terrestrial
environment and human health is one of the major concerns
affecting the scientific world. Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, copper,
zinc, and mercury are among the most frequently observed metal
contaminants. Microbial processes applied to mining operations
such as Bioleaching and Biooxidation play a major role in reducing
the adverse effect gotten from the conventional methods of mining
while carefully taking into considerations, the design and
engineering of Biomining operations. Potential and current
applications include the mining of gold, copper, uranium and other
heavy metal with the help of chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms
such as the leaching bacteria of the genus Acidithiobacillus. The
ways biotechnology improves biomining efficiencies. The advantages
of Biomining over the conventional methods of mining and the
implications and challenges facing the use of Biomining in this field
will be highlighted as well.

ii
 TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page i

Dedication ii

Acknowledgement iii

Abstract iv

Table Of Content v

1.0 Introduction 1

2.0 What Is Biomining 5

3.0 Factors Affecting Biominning 6

4.0 Biooxidation 7

5.0 Bioleaching 7

5.1 History Of Bioleaching 8

5.2 Processes Of Bioleaching 10

5.2.1 Direct Leaching 10

5.2.2 Indirect Leaching 11

6.0 Metal Extraction Operations 11

6.2 Heap Leaching 12

7.0 General Properties Of The Microorganisms Used In Biomining

12

iii
8.0 Biocorrosion 15

9.0 Environmental Impact Of Biominning 17

10. Disadvantages Of Biomining In The Environment 22

11.0 Methods To Increase Biomining Efficiencies And The Impacts

Of Genetic Engineering On Biomining 23

12.0 Conclusion 25

Reference 26

iv
 REFERENCE

Acevedo, F., The use of reactors in biomining processes. Electronic

Journal of Biotechnology, 2000. 3(3): p. 10-11.

Acharya, R., 1990. Bacterial leaching: a potential for developing

countries, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Monitor, 27:
57-58

Anderson, C.W.N., R.R. Brooks, Chiaruccia, C.J. Lacoste, M.

Leblanc, B.H. Robinson, R. Simcock and R.B. Steward, 1999.
Phytomining for thallium, nickel and gold. J. Geochem.
Explor., 67: 407-415

Avendano, C. and E. Domic. Engineering design of LX-SX-EW

plants. in Chemical Metallurgy. 1994. Concepcion, Chile

Battaglia-Brunet, F., Joulian, C., Garrido, F., Dictor, M.-C., Morin,

D.,.Coupland, K.,

Brierley, C.L., 1982. Microbiological mining. Sci. Am. 247: 42-51.

Bruhn, D. F., Thompson, D. N. & Naoh, K. S. (1999). Microbial

ecology assessment of a mixed copper oxide/sulfide dump
leach operation. In Biohydrometallurgy and the Environment.
Toward the Mining of the 21st Century, Process Metallurgy 9A,
pp. 799–808. Edited by R. Amils & A. Ballester. Amsterdam:
Elsevier.

Clark, D. A. & Norris, P. R. (1996). Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans

gen. nov. sp. nov. mixed culture ferrous iron oxidation with
Sulfobacillus species. Microbiology 141, 785–790.
v
Coram, N. J. & Rawlings, D. E. (2002). Molecular relationship
between two groups of the genus Leptospirillum and the
finding that Leptospirillum ferriphilum sp. nov. dominates
South African commercial biooxidation tanks

Crundwell, F.K., Modeling, simulation, and optimization of bacterial

leaching reactors. Biotechnology Bioengineering, 2001. 71(4):
p. 255-265.

d’Hugues, P., Battaglia-Brunet, F., Clarens, M. & Morin, D.

(2003).Microbial diversity of various metal-sulphides
bioleaching cultures grown under different operating
conditions using 16S-rDNA analysis.In Biohydrometallurgy; a
Sustainable Technology in Evolution, pp. 1323–1334. Edited
by M. Tsezos, A. Hatzikioseyian & E. Remoudaki. Zografou,
Greece: National Technical University of Athens.

Dew, D. W., Lawson, E. N. & Broadhurst, J. L. (1997). The BIOXH

process for biooxidation of gold-bearing ores or concentrates.
In.Biomining: Theory, Microbes and Industrial Processes, pp.
45–80. Edited by D. E. Rawlings. Georgetown, TX:
Springer/Landes Bioscience.

Dopson, M. & Lindstro¨ m, E. B. (2004). Analysis of community

composition during moderately thermophilic bioleaching of
pyrite, arsenical pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Microb Ecol 48, 19–
28.

vi
International Institute for Environment and Development (2002)
“Breaking New Ground: Mining, Minerals and Sustainable
Development: Chapter9: Local Communities and Mines.
Breaking New Grounds.” http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/
G00901.pdf

Johnson, D. B. & Roberto, F. F. (1997). Heterotrophic acidophiles

and their roles in the bioleaching of sulfide minerals. In
Biomining: Theory, Microbes and Industrial Processes, pp.
259–280. Edited by D. E. Rawlings. Georgetown, TX:
Springer/Landes Bioscience.

Leduc, L.G. and G.D. Ferroni, 1994. The chemolithotrophic

bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. FEMS Microbiol. Rev.,
14: 103-120.

Nagpal, S. et al. 1993. Effect of carbon dioxide concentration on the

bioleaching of a pyritearsenopyrite ore concentrates.
Biotechnol. Bioeng. 41: 459-464.

Plumb, J. J., Hawkes, R. B. & Franzman, P. D. (2006). The

microbiology of moderately thermophilic and transiently
thermophilic ore heaps. In Biomining, pp. 217–235. Edited by
D. E. Rawlings & D. B. Johnson. Berlin: Springer.

Rawlings, D. E. & Johnson, D. B. (editors) (2007). Biomining.

Heidelberg: Springer.

Rawlings, D. E. & Silver, S. (1995). Mining with microbes.

Bio/Technology 13, 773–779.

vii
Rawlings, D. E. (2005). Characteristics and adaptability of iron- and
sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms used for the recovery of
metals from minerals and their concentrates. Microb Cell Fact
4,13. http:// www.microbialcellfactories.com/content/4/1/13

Rawlings, D. E., Dew, D. & du Plessis, C. (2003). Biomineralization

of metal-containing ores and concentrates. Trends
Biotechnology.

viii