Study on Chalcopyrite Dissolution Mechanism and Bioleaching Community Behavior Based on Pulp Concentration Gradient at 6 °C

Low-temperature bioleaching is relevant to the recovery of metals in alpine mines, but its development has been constrained by low bioleaching rates at high pulp concentrations. To this end, the bioleaching effect of the microbial community after the domestication of pulp concentration at 6 °C was studied. Domestication improved the bioleaching rate of copper. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical measurements revealed that the domestication process aggravated the corrosion of the chalcopyrite surface by accelerating its dissolution reaction. High-throughput sequencing technology indicated that Acidithiobacillus spp., Leptospirillum spp., and Acidiphilium spp. were the major lineages of the domesticated microbial community. The analysis of the microbial community revealed that domestication changed the microbial structure, enhancing the adaptability of the microbial community to pulp concentrations and acidic conditions. This study uncovered the mechanism by which domestication enhanced the bioleaching efficiency of the microbial community at low temperatures.