Abstract:The attachment and bioleaching experiments were conducted to evaluate the zinc recovery from Hualilan ore by the thermoacidophilic archaeon Acidianus copahuensis. Cells of this species pregrown on tetrathionate showed higher capability of attachment to the ore than cells pregrown on other energy sources and such attachment seemed to be mediated by the product of extracellular polymeric substances. A. copahuensis achieved a successful bioleaching of the ore reaching 100% of zinc recovery when tetrathionate was added. Simultaneous addition of yeast extract and tetrathionate maintained the zinc extraction at higher rate. Zinc dissolution kinetics was controlled by chemical reaction in cultures with the external addition of tetrathionate but by the diffusion through a product layer of jarosite in the other cultures.

Key words: bioleaching; zinc; tetrathionate; microbial attachment; Acidianus copahuensis; thermophiles