Bioleaching and phytomining Flashcards
What are 3 problems with traditional mining?
Large amounts of waste rock
Requires lots of energy
Only worthwhile when extracting high grade ores
What are 2 advantages of traditional mining?
Lots of copper can be extracted
Provides jobs for local people
What are 2 disadvantages of traditional mining?
Dangerous
Destroys habitats
What is the first step of phytomining?
The plant’s roots absorb copper ions from the soil.
What is the second step of phytomining?
The copper ions are taken up the roots and spread through the plant.
What is the third step of phytomining?
Plants are burned and carbon dioxide is made as a waste product.
What is the fourth step of phytomining?
The oxygen in the air reacts with copper ions from plants and copper oxide is formed in high concentration in the ash.
What is the final step of phytomining?
Ash is dissolved in water and electrolysis purifies the copper.
What is bioleaching?
The extraction of specific metals from their ores using bacteria.
What is a leachate?
The solution we get when a liquid passes through an organism.
How is the leachate used?
To extract copper from its ore - the organism is bacteria.
What are 2 advantages of bioleaching?
Economical
Environmentally friendly.
What are 2 disadvantages of bioleaching?
Very slow compared to smelting
Efficiency is low so there is a lot of waste
