Biohydrometallurgy
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Cyanidation alone
Bacterial oxidation followed by cyanidation
This new process has many advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages of this process is that it cost much less than the traditional method. Mining copper by the traditional method can cost between $130 and $200 per tonne. The introduction of biohydrometallurgy rapidly reduces the cost to around $70 per tonne. The result is that one tonne of mined copper typically results in two tonnes of sulphur dioxide being pumped into the atmosphere whereas biological extraction avoids this. Another advantage is that this biological process of mining has no environmental pr ...
