Ten strains of silicate bacteria were screened from three bauxite samples in Jiangxi Province and Henan Province in China. The ten strains were determined as B. mucilaginosus according to the results of physiological and biochemical characteristics and desilicon ability. Bioleaching tests showed that the ten strains all can decompose bauxite ore and release silicon from bauxite, but had a large difference of desilicon ability among them.
The strain Jgj-1 was isolated from Gaoan bauxite ore. The relations of desilication of the strain Jgj-1 and the pH of solution, temperature, shaking speed, incubation time, particle size were investigated. The results shows the optimum conditions of bioleaching are as following: at 28°C, initial pH value is 7.2, particle size 0.056mm, 200rpm shaking speed, incubation 5-7 days.
Single and Coorperative Bauxite Bioleaching by Silicate Bacteria
