Seven strains of heterotrophic iron-oxidizing acidophilic bacteria were examined to determine their abilities to promote oxidative dissolution of pyrite (FeS2) when they were grown in pure cultures and in mixed cultures with sulfur-oxidizing Thiobacillus spp. Only one of the isolates (strain T-24) oxidized pyrite when it was grown in pyrite-basal salts medium. However, when pyrite-containing cu...

The Mouteh refractory pyrite concentrates at pulp densities of 1.5%, 3%, 4.5% and 6% were treated, using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans DSM 581 and the same bacteria adapted on the Mouteh pyritic concentrate. Compared with a non-adapted culture, use of an adapted inoculum of T. ferrooxidans increased bioleaching rate of iron by a factor of 1.940, 2.011, 1.859 and 1.559 for pulp densities 1.5%, 3%, 4...