Poster Presentation 1B-48

Morphological Characteristic of the Pyrite Induced by Bioleaching

Process

Don-Hee Park,¹ Jin-Myeong Cha,^2* Kwang-Youn Lee,^1,3

Min-Ha Oh,¹ Gye-Suk Cha⁴ and Tae-Sa Jang⁴

¹Faculty of Applied Chemical Engineering

Chonnam National University, Kwangju 500-757, Korea

²B & E Tech Co. Ltd.

Kwangju University’s Venture Center

Kwangju 503-703, Korea

Phone: 82-62-672-7893

Fax: 82-62-672-7897

E-mail: jmcha@chollian.net

³Dept. of Opthalmic Optics

Dong-A College, Chonnam 526-872 , Korea

⁴Faculty of Environmental Engineering

Kwangju University, Kwangju 503-703, Korea

The morphological changes induced in the pyrite surface by bio leaching process using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in a bioreactor have been compared by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion analysis, respectively. Bio leaching leads to the modification of particle size and changes corrosion area on the surface of pyrite expanded with bio leaching. Selective bio leaching in pyrite surface induced by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was performed.