Abstract

Recently, a preliminary model has been proposed for relating the microbial succession of bioleaching heaps with the activity of different CO2 fixation pathways. In order to confirm this hypothesis and to understand the impact of the carbon metabolism in the metallurgical performance, the expression levels of carbon fixation pathways were investigated in a chalcopyrite bioleaching column test by transcriptomic analysis. The community structure, the physicochemical conditions and the metallurgical parameters were also analyzed. Gene expression profiles obtained by microarrays confirmed the temporal distribution of microorganisms as a function of the temperature and the different pathways for CO2 fixation. These results revealed the impact of the different CO2 fixation pathways in the composition of the microbial assemblage as the bioleaching proceeds.