Abstract: This invention is referred to a new bacterial strain of Bacillus sp., to be applied in a metal biosorption process, which was deposited in the Agricultural Research Culture Collection (NRRL) International Depositary Authority, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria Ill. 61604, USA, having an accession number NRRL-B-30881. It is described, also, a sporulated and non-sporulated industrial inoculant of said bacterium, a method to produce said inoculant, and a process to remove metals by said bacterium.

Abstract: A method and a plant to remove metals by biosorption from mining or industrial effluents comprising: (a) subject the effluent to at least one first stage of pre-treatment, selecting among: precipitation by pH rising, solvent extraction or solvent extraction on emulsified membranes in order to reduce its load of metals to a concentration level that allows it to be treated by the next stage of biosorption, and (b) subject the liquid that has been previously in the stage of pre-treatment to a second stage of continuous metals removal by biosorption.