Recovery of copper from melting furnaces dust by microorganisms

Bacterial leaching of the copper dust emanating from smelting furnaces of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine has been studied. The present procedure to treat the dust which consists of about 30% copper is included in its collection and sending back to the furnace. Regarding the considerable amount of copper oxide minerals in the dust, a sulphuric acid leaching process was performed prior to bacterial leaching. Shake flask experiments were run using a mixed culture of thiobacilli and the effects of some parameters such as culture medium and pulp density on copper extraction were studied. Copper recoveries in 5% pulp density of inoculated and control flasks after 22 days incubation were 87% and 38%, respectively.