FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of extracting gold and/or silver from mineral ore using a bacterium for separating said metals. Gold and/or silver present in the suspension containing particles of mineral ore containing metal are extracted. Method comprises incubating a suspension comprising (i) particles of mineral ore containing said metal, and (ii) biomass, including a bacterium able to bind said metal selected from the following genus and type: Pseudochrobactrum, preferably Pseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticum, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Stenotrophomonas, preferably Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa or from combinations thereof. Biomass containing bound metal is separated from the suspension produced at the previous stage. Gold and/or silver is extracted from biomass separated at the previous stage.
EFFECT: use of the bacterium in the method is capable of extracting gold and/or silver from ore material containing it.
13 cl, 4 dwg, 3 tbl, 4 ex
