REMOVAL OF GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER BY LIVING AND NONLIVING FUNGI FROMLEACH LIQUOR OBTAINED FROM THE GOLD MINING-INDUSTRY

Strains of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus n iger isolated from samples obtained from the gold extraction plant of ''Mineracao Morro Velho'' (Nova Lima, Brazil) were tested for removal of heavy metals in a solution containing cyanide obtained from the gol d extraction plant (leach liquor). The ability of these fungi to remov e gold, silver and copper through metabolism-independent processes (dr ied biomass) and after growth in leach liquor was investigated. The dr ied fungal biomass resulted in weak biosorbents, a fact probably due t o the high cyanide concentration in leach liquor, whereas metabolicall y active cells of A. fumigatus and A. niger presented greater ability to remove metals. The metabolic activity should be considered for the removal of heavy metals from cyanide-containing solutions obtained fro m the gold mining industry.