• Resources Recycling
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.3-15
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• 2008

Different toxic wastes are disposed of in our surroundings and these will ultimately threaten the existence of living organisms. Biohydrometallurgy, which includes the processes of bioleaching and bioremediation through the activities of microorganisms such as bacterial or fungal species, is a technology that has the potential to overcome many environmental problems at a reasonable economic cost. Bioleaching were carried out for dissolution of metals from different materials using most important metal mobilizing bacteria such as Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus thiooxidans and Laptospirillum ferrooxidans. According to the reaction, bioleaching is parted as direct and indirect mechanism. In direct mechanism the bacteria oxidize the sulphides minerals by accepting electron and producing sulphuric acid in leaching media for their growth and metabolism. In other hand the indirect bioleaching is demonstrated as the oxidation of sulphides mineral by the oxidant like $Fe^{3+}$ produced by the iron oxidizing bacteria. Through this process, substantial amount of metal can be recovered from low-grade ores, concentrates, industrial wastes like sludge, tailings, fly ash, slag, electronic scrap, spent batteries and spent catalysts. This may be alternative technology to solve the high deposition of waste, which moves toward a healthy environment and green world.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.11-26
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• 2010

In order to review the recycling status of urban mine resources in Japan, metal consumption, metal recycling rate and metal recycling industry such as iron scrap, end of life vehiclcs(ELV), waste home appliances and spent IT equipments were surveyed. Japan took rank of top class in the world on the metal consumption and urban mine stock reserve. Metal recycling industries in Japan have been developed through excellent technologies for mineral processing and non-ferrous smelting. On the other hand, the technologies for recycling of rare metals are being developed now. Recycling rate of EL V, waste home appliances and personal computer are higher than the guidelines of the legislative standard.