Spectral induced polarization monitoring of chalcopyrite ore bioleaching: insights from laboratory column experiments

SUMMARY Bioleaching is a biologically facilitated process that helps to dissolve valuable metals in order to extract them from the mineral gangue. Applied in the field to heap ores, its efficiency mainly depends on solution flow inside the heterogeneous heaps, which is often tortuous and can remain stagnant in the pores and crevices between the particles. Methodologies that can help to monitor the bioleaching processes are therefore needed to improve operational efficiency. In this article, we present for the first time preliminary laboratory-scale investigations on spectral induced polarization (SIP) during the bioleaching of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) containing ore material from a mine in Chile. Two column experiments representing different stages of the bioleaching process were monitored under unsaturated and highly acidic environment (pH ∼2). Our objective was to explore the feasibility of SIP for detecting changes in electrical properties potentially associated with bioleaching-induced mineral dissolution and alteration. The results show a rapid decrease in SIP phase shift and imaginary conductivity during the early stage of bioleaching, while the real conductivity remains relatively stable. At a more advanced stage of bioleaching, the phase response is weaker and more stable. A relaxation time distribution (RTD) analysis was applied to further investigate changes in polarization mechanisms. Prior to bioleaching, the RTD exhibits a well-defined peak consistent with polarization controlled by sulfide mineral grains, whereas after one month of bioleaching the RTD broadens and shifts towards larger relaxation times, accompanied by a decrease in chargeability. This combined evolution suggests bioleaching-induced modifications of electrochemically active surfaces, potentially related to mineral dissolution and the formation of passivation layers. Estimated particle sizes derived from the RTD analysis are consistent with scanning electron microscopy observations. Although, the absence of a dedicated abiotic control column prevents us from attributing these changes unambiguously to bioleaching alone, these results highlight the potential of SIP as a non-invasive, real-time and integrative tool to monitor leaching processes and to identify zones that may remain weakly affected by leaching.