US 7,601,530 B2
	Bacteria strain wenelen DSM 16786, use of said bacteria for leaching of ores or concentrates containing metallic sulfide mineral species and leaching processes based on the use of said bacteria or mixtures that contain said bacteria
Tsuyoshi Sugio, Okayama (Japan); Akira Miura, Colina (Chile); Pilar A. Parada Valdecantos, Colina (Chile); and Ricardo Badilla Ohlbaum, Colina (Chile)
Assigned to Biosigma S.A., Colina (Chile)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/256,221.
Claims priority of application No. 2731-2004 (CL), filed on Oct. 22, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0094094 A1, May 04, 2006
Int. Cl. C12N 1/20 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 435—252.1  [424/93.1]

6 Claims

1. An isolated bacterial strain wherein said bacterial strain belongs to the species Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, named Wenelen deposited as DSM 16786 at the DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany), said DSM 16786 strain being a bacillary gram-negative bacterium that grows chemolithotrophically by oxidizing iron, elemental sulfur and compounds resulting from bioleaching of sulfide minerals or ores, and said strain has the 16S rDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO.1 and an extra-chromosomal element of approximately 15 Kb with an autonomous replication sequence; and said Wenelen DSM 16786 strain having an increased activity for leaching of metallic sulfide ores.