Bioleaching of cobalt from Cu/Co-rich sulfidic mine tailings from the polymetallic Rammelsberg mine, Germany

Researchers achieved high efficiency in bioleaching cobalt and copper from sulfidic mine tailings at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rammelsberg, Germany, using a microbial consortium. The study found that mesophilic bacteria, primarily Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans, extracted 91% cobalt and 57% copper from bulk tailings after 13 days in stirred tank reactors (STRs). Mineralogical analysis revealed cobalt was predominantly leached from the surface of framboidal pyrite due to microbial activity. The study also demonstrated that sulfide content in the tailings sustained microbial growth, eliminating the need for additional substrates. This bioleaching method is proposed as a key step for reprocessing mine tailings at Rammelsberg and similar sites globally.

Zhang, R., Hedrich, S., Römer, F., Goldmann, D., & Schippers, A. (2020). Bioleaching of cobalt from Cu/Co-rich sulfidic mine tailings from the polymetallic Rammelsberg mine, Germany. Hydrometallurgy, 197, 105443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2020.105443