%0 Journal Article %T Bacterial Reduction of Hexavalent Chromium from Contaminated Overburden Soil %J International Journal of Metallurgical Engineering %@ 2167-7018 %D 2012 %I %R 10.5923/j.ijmee.20120105.03 %X This study was focused for the bioreduction of Cr(VI) from chromite mine overburden soil using a highly tolerant Bacillus sp. isolated from chromite mine soil. Under the optimized conditions of pH ~7.0, Bacillus sp. (4.05 x 107 cell mL-1) reduced more than 98% of Cr(VI) from the soil sample in 16 h at 60% pulp density(PD). The exponential rate equation yielded rate constants in the range 4.92310-1 h-1 ¨C 2.14110-1 h-1 for 20% and 60% PD respectively, which decreased with increase in Cr(VI) concentration. The bio-reduction was also carried out in absence of media at the higher pulp density (60%) as used in the chromite ore beneficiation plant. After bio-reduction the samples were characterized using FT-IR for the leaching of other valuable metals using bio-organic acids. %K Chromite Mine Overburden %K Bacillus sp %K Cr(VI) %U http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.ijmee.20120105.03.html