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Abstract
The emission of sulphur dioxide into the environment and its implication in the formation of acid rain has stimulated interest into methods to reduce sulphur in coal prior to sale using existing froth flotation plant. The bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is capable of suppressing the natural floatabihty of pyritic sulphur in a conditioning time of two minutes. This is achieved by changing the surface properties of the pyrite from aerophilic to areophobic. Pyrite particles of various sizes can be suppressed with an efficiency of over 92% providing sufficient bacterial cells are present. The paper describes the effect of bacteria on sulphur suppression of both synthetic coal mixtures and a high sulphur American coal.