taken against microbial growth is the
periodic injection of strong oxidizing
agentssuch as chlorine gas. It may be
necessary
to find an antimicrobialagent
that successfullypreventsgrowth, is inexpensive, environmentally acceptable,
and doesn't interfere with the leaching
and uraniumrecoveryprocesses.
uncontrollably proliferating in artificial
environmentscreatedat the leachingsites
and in the uranium recoveryand restoration circuits associatedwith the operations.
Substantialeffort is neededto evaluate
microbial practicesand problemsof the
mining industry. Evaluations must be
comprehensive,
includingnot only the imConclusions
mediateproblemor practice,but the basic
Microorganismscanbe eithera boon or
aspectof the situation.A cooperativeefbane to the mining industry. Bacterial fort among
many disciplinesis needed,
leaching has a vital niche in the pro- for
the solutionsto the problemsare not
duction of copper and uranium from likely
to be uniquelybiological.
low-grade ores. Likewise, low-cost
energy-conservativetechniques for
References
cited
recovery of vagrant inorganic con- Beck, J. V., 1967,The role of bacteriain copper
mining operations: Biotechnology and Bioengitaminantsfrom industrialwastewaterare
neering,v. 9, p. 487-497
makingincreasinguseof microbes.
Brierley,C. L., 1974, MolybdeniteJeaching:
useof a
Further investigationwill reveal new
high-temperature
microbe: Journal of the Lessapplicationsof microorganisms
CommonMetals,v. 36,p.237-247
to benefit
1977,Thermophilicmicroorganisms
in exthe uranium industry. The processlikely
traction of metalsfrom ores: Developmentsin Into havethe most potentialis the bacterial
dustrialMicrobiology,v. 18,p.273-284
oxidationof ammoniumion remaininsin
1978a,Bacterial leaching:CRC Critical
the formationafter in-situleachingwith
Reviewsin Microbiology,v. 6, no. 3, p.207-262
ammoniumcarbonatesolutions.
1978b,Biogenicextractionof uraniumfrom
ores of the Grants region: Metallurgical ApplicaHowever,new technologies
in uranium
tions of BacterialLeachingand RelatedMicrobiomining are evoking problemsnot previlogicalPhenomena,Murr, L. E., Torma, A. E.,
ously associated with this industry.
and Brierley,J. A. (eds.),AcademicPress,New
Opportunisticmicrobesare rapidly and
York, p. 345-362
Directory of
commercial analytical
laboratories in
New Mexico
Gommerclal llstlngs
Albuchemist,Inc.
715SanMateoBlvd. NE
Albuquerque,NM 87108
(50s)268-736'l
Routine chemicalassayson soil, water, gasoline,
ore andpaint
Types of analyees
AlbuquerqueAssayLaboratory
4l l5 SilverAve. SE
Albuquerque,NM 87108
(50s1268-5'.776
Routine chemicalassays
on ores
Rapid whole-rockanalyses
Minerol examinations
Traceanalyses
Geochemicalassays
Water-quaIi ty anaiyses
Rodiometric assays
Routine chemical assoysinclude both
wet and instrumentalmethods(depending
on preferencesof the individual laboratory) and are analysesof major (l-l00go)
andminor (.01-190)
elements.
Geochemicalossaysinclude analysesof
trace elements in geological materials
(.0001-.0190);
theseare usuallydone by
instrumentalmethods.
Fire ossayis a method of analysisfor
gold, silver, and platinum group metals
usingfurnaceheatand dry reagents.
Water quality onalyses include the
chemicaland biologicalanalysesof water
constituentsbut do not includetracecontaminants.
Rapid whole-rock onalysis is the
analysisof the major and minor oxidesby
atomicabsorption.
Radiometric asssys . pertain to the
measurement
of geologictime by the disintegrationrateof radioactiveelements.
Radiochemicolassaysare chemicalanalysesof radioactivematerials.
August 1979
New Mexico Geology
Controlsfor EnvironmentalPollution,Inc.
P.O. Box5351-1925Rosina
SantaFe,NM 87501
(505)982-9841
Radiochemicalanalyses
Biological assoys
Traceinorganicand organiccontaminants
Water-quality analyses
Pesticideanalyses
CoreLaboratories.Inc.
3428StanfordDr. NE
Albuquerque,
NM 87104
(s05)344-0274
Water analyses
Uranium analyses
Baseandprecious minera! assays
Geochemicalassays
Brierley, C. L., and Brierley, J. A., 1973, A
chemoautotrophic
and
thermophilic
microorganism isolated from an acid hot spring: Canadian Journal of Microbiology, v. 19, no. 2, p.
l 83-l88
Brierley, C. L., Brierley, J. A., Norris, P. R., and
Kelly, D. P., 19'79, Metal-tolerant microorganisms of hot, acid environments: Society for
Applied Bacteriology, Technical Series Publication No. 14, in press
Brierley, J. A., 1978, Thermophilic iron-oxidizing
bacteria found in copper leaching dumps: Applied
and Environmental Microbiology, v. 36, no. 3, p.
523-525
Brierley,J. A., and Brierley,C. L., 1978,Microbial
leaching of copper at ambient and elevated
temperatures: Metallurgical Applications of
Bacterial Leaching and Related Microbiological
Phenomena,Murr, L. E., Torma, A. E., and
Brierley,J. A. (eds.),AcademicPress,New York,
p.477-489
Brierley,J. A., and Lockwood,S. J., 1977,The occurrenceof thermophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria
in a copper leachingfacility: Federationof EuropeanMicrobiologicalSocieties
MicrobiologyLett e r s v, . 2 , p . 1 6 3 - 1 6 5
Brock, T. D., Brock, K. M., Belly, R. T., and
Weiss,R. L., 1972,Sulfolobus:a new genusof
sulfur-oxidizing
bacterialiving at low pH andhigh
temperature:
Archivesof Mikrobiologia,v. 84, p.
54-68
Bryner, L. C., and Anderson, R., 1957, Microorganismsin leachingsulfideminerals:Industrial
and Engineering
Chemistry,v. 49,p. 1721-1724
(continued on page 40)
EberlineInstrumentCorporation
P.O. Box 2108
SanraFe, NM 87501
(505't4',71-3232
Radiat io n measurements
Radon monitors
Radiochemistry
SilverCity TestingLaboratories,lnc.
505Texas
SilverCity, NM 88061
(505)538-3029
Routine chemicalassoyson ores
Fire assays
Custom assays
Prlces and fees
Most commercial laboratories have
three qualities of work: the routine or
preliminary, which is the lowest priced
and is not run in duplicatel a control,
whichis mediumpricedand generallyrun
in duplicate;and an umpire, which is very
exact,usuallya wet methodrun in triplicate.The last methodis the most costly.
In generalthe higherthe price, the better
the results.
The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral
Resourcesneither vouchesfor nor recommendsthe
commerciallaboratorieslisted hereinover any other
laboratories.The information was suppliedby the
individual laboratories.The list is intendedto includeall laboratoriesin this area;any omissionsare
by oversight only.
!
-Lynn A. Brandvold,
Chemist
NMBM&MR