Bioreactor for continuous production of bioleaching solutions for inoculation and irrigation of sulfide-ore bioleaching heaps and dumps

Bioreactor for continuous production of bioleaching solutions for inoculation and irrigation of sulfide-ore bioleaching heaps and dumps. The invention discloses an air-lift bioreactor, with internal recirculation, for producing sulfide-ore and minerals bioleaching solutions, with a phase-separating and solids recirculation system without needing to impel the suspension containing the solids to the bioreactor by means of pumps, using diatomaceous earth and/or ferric precipitates as solid support to immobilize iron and sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms. Specifically speaking, the invention describes a bioreactor that continuously produces bioleaching solutions containing microorganisms for inoculation and irrigation of sulfide-ore heaps and dumps processed by bioleaching. The bioreactor is stirred pneumatically, and is generally made up of an air diffuser, a reaction zone, a de gasification zone, a solids separation zone, a culture media inlet, and a bioleaching solution outlet. Depending on the source of energy supplied for the growth of microorganisms, the bioreactor can produce a solution concentrated in ferric ions, iron-oxidizing bacteria and reduced-sulfur-compound-oxidizing bacteria. 5il LIIIFw FlI r -LIE oiEl