Abstract
The bacterial oxidation of a naturally occurring gallium-bearing chalcopyrite concentrate and a pure synthetic gallium (III) sulfide was investigated at pH 1.8 and 35.degree. C, using an active culture of T. ferrooxidans. This oxidation process may proceed by direct or by indirect bacterial action. The highest dissolved gallium and copper concentrations were about 2.2 and 40.2 g/l, respectively. The order of the specific rate of O2 uptake by T. ferroxidans is approximately CuFeS2 .gtoreq. gallium-bearing CuFeS2 > FeS2 > CuS > Cu2S > Ga2S3.

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