Chalcocite Oxidation and Coupled Carbon Dioxide Fixation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans.

The reaction of cell suspensions of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans with pulverized chalcocite (Cu(2)S) in a Warburg manometric apparatus resulted in oxygen uptake accompanied by increased solubilization of copper and fixation of carbon dioxide. Since the only detectable oxidized products were cupric ions and the more oxidized form of the sulfide mineral, that is, digenite or covellite, the apparent source of energy for the carbon dioxide fixation was provided by the oxidation of the cuprous copper of the chalcocite.