This work aims to study the oxidation of a complex molybdenite mineral which contains pyrite and pyrrotite, by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. This study was performed by respirometric essays and bioleaching in shake flasks. Respirometric essays yielded the kinetics of mineral oxidation. The findings showed that sulfide oxidation followed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Bioleaching in shake flasks allowed evaluation of chemical and mineralogical changes resulting from sulfide oxidation. The results demonstrated that pyrrotite and pyrite were completely oxidized in A. ferrooxidans cultures whereas molybdenite was not consumed. These data indicated that molybdenite was the most recalcitrant sulfide in the sample.

Eletrodos de bornita foram caracterizados na presença e na ausência de Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, um importante microorganismo envolvido nos processos de lixiviação de metais. A presença da bactéria modificou significativamente a interface mineral/eletrólito, aumentando a taxa de corrosão, como revelado pelas análises interferométricas, AEM, ICP e EIS. A atividade bacteriana sobre o eletrodo de bornita o tornou poroso e conseqüentemente aumentaram sua área e heterogeneidade. Este comportamento foi correlacionado com a evolução dos diagramas de impedância obtidos durante o tempo do experimento. A principal diferença nestes diagramas foi a presença de uma característica indutiva (até 44 h), a qual está relacionada com a ação bacteriana sobre a dissolução do mineral e não com sua adesão. A impedância real total medida na presença da bactéria foi cerca de 10 vezes menor do que na sua ausência, devido a aceleração na dissolução do mineral, uma vez que é mantido o meio oxidante.

Bornite electrodes were characterized in the absence or in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which is an important microorganism involved in metal bioleaching processes. The presence of the bacterium modified the mineral/electrolyte interface, increasing the corrosion rate, as revealed by interferometric, AEM, ICP and EIS analyses. As a consequence of bacterial activity the electrode became porous, increasing its surface heterogeneity. This behavior was correlated with the evolution of impedance diagrams obtained during the time course of experiments. The main difference in these diagrams was the presence of an inductive feature (up to 44 h), which was related to bacterial action on the mineral dissolution, better than to its adhesion on the bornite. The total real impedance measured in presence of the bacterium was about 10 times lower than in its absence, due to the acceleration of the mineral dissolution, because an oxidant environment was maintained.