Bioleaching experiments, electrochemical tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were conducted to investigate the intermediates transformation of bornite by Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus caldus. The bioleaching experimental results showed that the presence of L. ferriphilum and A. caldus significantly accelerated the bornite bioleaching. In addition, the intermediate species of bornite bioleaching with these two kinds of bacteria were similar. Electrochemical analysis indicated that the dissolution of bornite was an acid-consuming process. The results of XRD showed that intermediate species, namely covellite (CuS), mooihoekit (Cu9Fe9S16) and isocubanite (CuFe2S3), were formed during bornite bioleaching, and a mass of elemental sulfur was formed in the late stage of bioleaching. The Cu 2p photoelectron spectrum revealed that Cu was present in the form of Cu (I) during the bornite bioleaching. Additionally, the S 2p3/2 photoelectron spectrum suggested that S2− and S22− were gradually converted to Sn2−/S0, and the formation of elemental sulfur hindered the further dissolution of the bornite.
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