Fundamental Studies of Bacterial Leaching Using Bio-Physical Techniques of Transmission Electron Microscopy
The role of microorganisms and their reaction with minerals are comparatively newer research areas in the general area of chemical mining, and have considerable scope of further development. The most commonly studied reactions of this type have been associated with microorganisms characterized as Thiobacillus thio-oxidans and Thiobacillus ferroxidans. These microorganisms have the ability to oxidize heavy metal sulfides and elemental sulfur to water soluble sulfates; and ferrous iron to ferric iron.The attachment location of biological microorganisms on minerals has not been reported in the literature as it relates specifically to biogenic metallurgical processes, although an attempt to describe the mode and character of bacterial attachment has been made by some workers. In the current investigation, a thermophillic microbe previously described by Brierley and Brierley and suggested to have a relationship with Sulfolobus was used. This microorganism exhibits an intracellular retractile body un-like Sulfolobus.