Isolation, identification and characterization of some bacteria from soil samples of agbaja iron ore mining site of kogi state

Hydrometallurgical and other conventional mining technologies on low grade ores require high energy and capital costs The use of microbes to degrade such type of minerals is gaining acceptance This study was carried out therefore to isolate identify and characterize iron solubilizing bacteria from Iron stones of Agbaja iron ore mining site of Kogi State Crushed samples in the range of micro m and micro m particle size were used for the isolation They were cultured in a modified k media to facilitate bacterial growth and pure cultures were then isolated and sub cultured for further identification Morphological and biochemical analysis suggests that some of the bacteria identified are members of Acidithiobacillus Pseudomonas and Leptospirillum species Also results of growth pattern due to bacteria count obtained after hours hours and hours of incubation ranged between times cfu ml and times cfu ml The highest count of times cfu ml was obtained in Pit at hours At hours there was no visible count in Pit and while at hours pit was times and pit was times and finally at hours pit and was times and times respectively incubation time and temperature further confirms that these isolated species are mesophilic acidophiles with good bioleaching properties