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English: Bioleaching of copper ores is a two-step process: first, the biological oxidation of Fe(II) to produce Fe(III); second, the chemical oxidation of Cu(I) to the more soluble Cu(II) by Fe(III) which is reduced to Fe(II) in the process. A. ferrooxidans plays a key role by reoxidizing the Fe(II) to Fe(III), thus completing the cycle and allowing bioleaching to continue (Figure 1). The sulfuric acid produced by the biological oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds also promotes the solubilization of the Cu(II). Copper is recovered from this acidic solution using physico-chemical technologies such as solvent extraction and electroplating.