The investigation was focused on the isolation of metal tolerant and antibiotic sensitive bacteria (A. ferrooxidans from bauxite and P. aeruginosa from magnesite mine) from the waste dump of mine by using selective medium. These two organisms showed maximum metal resistant potentiality for the selected heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu and Hg) in the range of 20 to 100 mg/ml-1. The tolerance among the isolated bacteria on heavy metals were observed in order of Mn > Zn > Fe > Cr >Cu>. These organisms did not show effective tolerant to Hg. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu and Hg) for the test bacteria were in the ranges of 50 to 200mg/ml-1. The antibiotic susceptibility of these two metal tolerant bacteria were analyzed by standard antibiotics, the results showed that most (8 antibiotics) of the antibiotics are sensitive except amphicillin and co-trimoxahole. The overall results indicate that the isolated metal tolerant bacteria would be very useful for the reclamation of mine soil without any hazardous effects.
