ABSTRACT
The copper-cobalt mineralization of the Katanga basin belonging to the Central African Copper belt and situated between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia is famous with its mineral reserves. High purity carrollite samples accompanied by their dolomitic gangue were handpicked from the rich mineralized zones of the Kamoya deposit. The carrollite mono-crystals have been further fragmented and prepared as to render them suitable for bio-leaching. The fragments which are composed from mineral particles and organic compounds could be viewed as intermediate sources of energy, thus, supporting the important role of the EPS during the carrollite bioleaching. These findings corroborate well with the results reported by Konishi et al. (1992), indicating almost equal role of the direct and indirect mechanisms during bioleaching of sphalerite concentrate. The role which bacteria play in carrollite bioleaching system has been thus clarified. SEM examinations have shown pitting patterns for which specific bacterial species present in the consortium are responsible.
