Role of mineral specific bacterial proteins in selective flocculation and flotation

Extracellular bacterial protein (EBP) isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa was fractionated through ammonium sulphate precipitation (ASP) method and characterized through SDS-PAGE. Role of such fractionated proteins in selective mineral separation was demonstrated through microbially-induced selective flotation and flocculation. Proper use of fractionated protein groups rendered pyrite and chalcopyrite hydrophilic while quartz, sphalerite and galena exhibited enhanced surface hydrophobicity after biotreatment. Sphalerite, galena and quartz could be selectively separated from pyrite–chalcopyrite through prior interaction with bacterial proteins.