Removal of Metals by Sulphide Precipitation Using Na2S and HS−-Solution

Precipitation of metals as metal sulphides is a practical way to recover metals from mine water. Sulphide precipitation is useful since many metals are very sparingly soluble as sulphides. Precipitation is also pH dependent. This article investigates the precipitation of metals individually as sulphides and assesses which metals are precipitated as metal hydroxides by adjustment of the pH. The precipitation of different metals as sulphides was studied to determine the conditions under which the HS− solution from the sulphate reduction reaction could be used for precipitation. H2S gas and ionic HS− produced during anaerobic treatment could be recycled from the process to precipitate metals in acidic mine drainage (AMD) prior to anaerobic treatment (Biological sulphate reduction), thereby recovering several metals. Precipitation of metals with HS− was fast and produced fine precipitates. The pH of acid mine water is about 2–4, and it can be adjusted to pH 5.5 before sulphide precipitation, while the precipitation, on the other hand, requires a sulphide solution with pH at 8 and the sulphide in HS− form. This prevents H2S formation and mitigates the risk posed from the evaporation of toxic hydrogen sulphur gas. This is a lower increase than is required for hydroxide precipitation, in which pH is typically raised to approximately nine. After precipitation, metal concentrations ranged from 1 to 30 μg/L.

Complete Genome Sequence of Acidithiobacillus ferridurans JAGS, Isolated from Acidic Mine Drainage

We report a complete genome sequence of Acidithiobacillus ferridurans JAGS, determined using PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. The circular genome of JAGS (2,933,811 bp; GC content, 58.57%) contains 3,001 protein-coding sequences, 46 tRNAs, and 6 rRNAs. Predicted genes indicate the potential to fix CO2 and N2 and to utilize Fe2+, S0, and H2 as energy sources.

A novel approach coupling ferrous iron bio-oxidation and ferric iron chemo-reduction to promote biomineralization in simulated acidic mine drainage

Controlled addition of ZVI into Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans-mediated biomineralization can markedly improve the formation of secondary Fe-minerals in AMD.