The feasibility of processing low-grade copper-nickel ores by heap bioleaching was investigated. It was found that an iron-oxidizing strain of acidophilic microorganisms, Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, is effective in the leaching of sulfide ores from the deposits in Russia’s Murmansk region. Sulfide mineralization of the studied mineral feeds was described using the methods of X-ray phase analysis and optical microscopy. In the process of leaching, the pH and Eh values and the concentrations of ferric and ferrous iron, nickel, and copper ions were monitored. By the end of the experiment, 16.5% of nickel and 7.5% of copper was recovered from the ore of the Allarechensk technogenic deposit, while 22.5% of nickel and 12.7% copper were recovered from the ore of the Nud II deposit. By silicate analysis of the solid phase, patterns of ore chemistry change were described during the process of bioleaching.

中文翻译：

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摩尔曼斯克地区矿床硫化铜镍矿堆浸法加工

研究了堆浸法处理低品位铜镍矿的可行性。发现嗜酸微生物铁氧化菌株嗜酸酸硫杆菌, 可有效地从俄罗斯摩尔曼斯克地区的矿床中浸出硫化矿。使用 X 射线相分析和光学显微镜的方法描述了所研究矿物进料的硫化物矿化。在浸出过程中，监测pH值和Eh值以及三价铁和亚铁、镍和铜离子的浓度。到实验结束时，从 Allarechensk 技术矿床的矿石中回收了 16.5% 的镍和 7.5% 的铜，而从 Nud II 矿床的矿石中回收了 22.5% 的镍和 12.7% 的铜。通过固相的硅酸盐分析，描述了生物浸出过程中矿石化学变化的模式。