Coal tailings, a byproduct of the coal washing process, poses severe environmental pollution issues due to the release of heavy metal elements. This study presents a sustainable bioleaching approach that isolates a strain of Bacillus inaquosoru B4, demonstrating its significant leaching efficiency for heavy metals Pb, Zn, and Cu in coal tailings. Through shake flask experiments under specified conditions, the leaching rates for Pb, Zn, and Cu were found to be 37.99%, 7.75%, and 7.44%, respectively. Elucidating the mechanistic actions of the B4 strain through techniques such as SEM, XRD, FT-IR, LA-ICP-MS, the study reveals a multi-layered biotic process involving absorption of organic compound, intermolecular force, and the release of organic acids, these processes disrupt the lattice structure of heavy metal minerals, leading to the release of metal ions and their fixation through the formation of complexes with functional groups on the bacterial surface. Kinetic models indicate that the leaching process is primarily controlled by chemical reactions and diffusion mixing. The research findings provide a viable bioremediation strategy for heavy metal control in coal tailings, holding significant implications for environmental protection and sustainable resource utilization.

Bioleaching; Coal Tailings; Bacillus inaquosoru; Heavy Metals; kinetics