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Vol. 29 (2026 year), No. 2, DOI: 10.21443/1560-9278-2026-29-2

Kotelnikova A. L., Voropaeva O. V., Zolotova E. S.
Evaluation of the element's mobility from copper smelting slags flotation tailings into an aqueous solution under the influence of silicate bacteria

Recycling and safe disposal of non-ferrous metallurgy wastes is an important and pressing environmental issue. The flotation tailings of cast copper smelting slags are a finely dispersed (less than 0.05 mm), mechanically activated material containing an increased concentration of copper, zinc and other chalcophilic elements. Bacterial leaching of the tailings has been carried out using silicate bacteria isolated from various sources (mineral aggregates of Sokoliny Kamen mountain, stale flotation tailings of copper smelting slags, mosses and lichens) and grown on Zak's medium at a temperature of 25±2 °C for a month. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (NexION 300S) is used to analyze the aqueous solution. It has been established that the solubility of the tailings components is influenced by the intensity of mixing, time factor, and type of strain. The maximum increase in the concentration of elements in the solution has been observed for iron on the fifth day, and for phosphorus, potassium, calcium, copper and lead on the nineteenth day. The migration activity of zinc and cadmium increases over time, which is associated with the disintegration of glass by silicate bacteria. The maximum mobility of silicon, zinc, cadmium, and phosphorus in aqueous solutions has been observed in the presence of silicate bacteria isolated from lichens. Iron and lead are more mobile in the presence of bacteria isolated from mosses. Sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are more intensively leached in the presence of silicate bacteria isolated from stale tailings. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the solubility of flotation tailings in distilled water, in Zak's nutrient medium with and without silicate bacteria has been carried out. The obtained results are of interest for the development of methods for the disposal and safe burial of mineral tailings from non-ferrous metallurgy.

(in Russian, стр.9, fig. 3, tables. 2, ref 20, AdobePDF, AdobePDF 0 Kb)