METHOD OF RECOVERING METALS FROM MINERALS Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: metallurgy. SUBSTANCE: minerals are leached using, as leaching agent, biomass of microorganisms with chemoorganotrophic metabolism type grown in a cultural medium. Microorganisms are isolated from naturally occurring materials. For leaching, at least 3•10^-3 kg of biomass is consumed per 1 of kg minerals. Cultural medium was aqueous solution of higher carbohydrate polymers supplemented by mineral additive, in particular ammonium phosphate, ammonium chloride, or their mixture, or sodium chloride, higher carbohydrate polymers being vegetable refuse, wood sawdust, cane, sedge, household waste. EFFECT: increased degree of metal recovery and accelerated process. 3 cl, 4 tbl, 3 ex