METHOD FOR BIOLEACHING SULFUR-CONTAINING COPPER MINERALS USING A CONSORTIUM OF MICROORGANISMS COMPRISING IRON-OXIDISING BACTERIA AND THE FUNGUS ACIDOMYCES ACIDOPHILUS HE17 IN AN INORGANIC MEDIUM AT A PH OF LESS THAN 2, PROMOTING BACTERIAL GROWTH AND INCREASING EXTRACTION OF THE METAL FROM THE MINERAL

摘要

The present invention relates to the field of mining. Specifically, to a method for bioleaching minerals. Even more specifically, to a method for bioleaching sulfur-containing minerals using a consortium of microorganisms comprising iron-oxidising bacteria (Regional Microbial Genetic Resources Research Bank Quilamapu, Chillán, Chile, accession number RGM 2527) and the fungus Acidomyces acidophilus HE17 (Regional Microbial Genetic Resources Research Bank Quilamapu, Chillán, Chile, accession number RGM 2527) in a ferrous sulfate-free inorganic medium at pH 2, promoting bacterial growth and improving extraction of the metal from the mineral.