Abstract
This study addresses the issue of mining environmental liabilities in the southeastern region of Arequipa, Peru, specifically in Yarabamba, pristine areas for molecular characterization studies through metagenomics, where the microbial consortia present in mining tailings were determined, exploring their diversity and biolyxative capacity. In the studied region, treatments with native and adapted microbial consortia were implemented, using seawater in the latter. Over 14 days, analyses of cell count, pH, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) were performed, showing an increase in microbial biomass and changes in the medium conditions, indicating a positive impact of the microorganisms on the sustainable recovery of copper. Atomic absorption analysis of the copper content revealed a significant increase at the end of the treatments, reaching 4.42% for the native microbial consortium (NMC) and 4.61% for the adapted microbial consortium (AMC), compared to the initial sample's 2.19%. The final results revealed significant species diversity, with Cutibacterium namnetense, Staphylococcus caprae, and Pelomonas aquatica predominating. This would indicate a positive impact of microbial consortia on sustainable copper recovery, and the microbial diversity suggests that the presence of the identified species could correspond to a signal of natural recovery of the environment, through a possible ecological succession over time. This would be an adaptation to address associated environmental challenges, and it would also highlight the importance of long-term strategies in the bioremediation of affected mining areas.