Bioleaching of Lithium from Lepidolite by the Mixture of Rhodotorula Rubra and Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate lithium bioleaching from lithium-rich ore lepidolite using the mixed culture of autotrophic bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and heterotrophic yeast Rhodotorula rubra. Lithium, as an important part of cathode material and electrolyte, is one of the crucial elements in lithium – ion battery production. The conventional techniques concerning the treatment lithium ores involve pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes. The overall high energy and capital costs as well as serious second pollution of those processes urge a turn to alternative methods. Bioleaching appears to be one of the fast developing technologies, which uses different kinds of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, yeast) and their metabolic products for the extraction of metals from low grade ores and wastes. The important microorganisms, which play an important role in metal recovery from sulphide minerals and waste, belong to autotrophic acidophilic group. Those microorganisms fix carbon dioxide and obtain energy from the oxidation of ferrous iron or reduced sulphur compounds. Contrary to bacterial leaching; the use of the yeast Rhodotorula rubra has also several advantages. These heterotrophic species are able to grow in acidic environment and due to their metabolites they can enhance metabolic activity of A. ferrooxidans. The bioleaching experiments were carried out in rich bioleaching media at the initial pH of 3.5. Results revealed that two main processes namely Li bioleaching (Li solubilisation) and Li bioaccumulation (Li uptake) were involved in Li bioleaching process. Li accumulation into the 1 g of microbial biomass was 47 μg. Lithium concentration in leach liquor was found to be 60 μg/l. During Li bioleaching using the mixture of R. rubra and A. ferrooxidans almost 4905 mg biomass was generated in 1000 ml of the solution. The great biomass increase indicated the positive effect of synergistic interactions of heterotrophic yeast of R. rubra and autotrophic bacteria of A. ferrooxidans on metabolic activities of the microorganisms. However, no significant effect of the consortium on Li bioleaching efficiency was observed.