Bilogical Metal Extraction

Question 1

What is one way of extracting metals that is seen as carbon neutral?

Answer 1

Phytoextraction which is when plants are grown on soil containing low grade ore or mine waste which then the plants absorb certain metal ions from the ground in their roots and shoots and leaves.
Which then once grown are harvested and burnt so that the ash that has been produces holds a high concentration of the metal

Question 2

Define what low grade ore?

Answer 2

Rock with low concentration of a metal.

Question 3

What is high grade ore ?

Answer 3

Rock with high concentration of metal?

Question 4

In phytoextraction what happens after you have the ash?

Answer 4

It is smelted to yield the metal.

Question 5

What is acid mine drainage?

Answer 5

An area of an abandoned mine where it has been flooded the metal sulfides oxidise under water producing sulfuric acid which reacts with other metal ores forming soluble metal compounds and what helps this process increase is the bacteria .

Question 6

What is the process of the chemical process that takes place?

Answer 6

.

Question 7

What are advantages of both and disadvantages of bioleaching and phytoextraction?

Answer 7

Advantage
They are both cheaper than traditional mining.
They use low grade ores
Bioleaching does not release harmful sulfur dioxide in the air.

disadvantage
They are both slow and take time
They both need care
For bioleaching they have to make sure that sulfuric acid does not escape into water supplies or soil.
Bioleaching does release some toxic substances.
In phytoextraction crops may need replanting and harvesting for several years before the available metal is removed from the soil. Also it does release some green house gases.