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. To perform the
continuous metals removal by biosorption is supplied a group of reactors,
constituted for at least one, or at least two or at least three fixed bed
bioreactors, which packing material has been colonized with a biofilm
formed by a bacterial culture or a mixture of microorganisms with the
capacity of binding metals by biosorption; pre-treated water is led to
the group of bioreactors, the treated effluent comes from this last one
and is led to the discharge of the plant.