Final answer:
The major organism used in commercial bioleaching for copper recovery belongs to the genus of Delta Proteobacteria, specifically Acidithiobacillus which has species like Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans that are capable of oxidizing ferrous iron and sulfur compounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major organism used in commercial bioleaching for copper recovery belongs to the genus of Delta Proteobacteria. This group of bacteria is very diverse with certain species having the ability to reduce sulfate and sulfur, which are key processes in the bioleaching method. Specifically, bioleaching utilizes aerobic, spore-forming bacteria to recover copper from ores.
These bacteria can oxidize the sulfide ores leading to the release of copper ions. One such example of these bacteria is from the genus Acidithiobacillus, which includes species like Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. These microorganisms are advantageous for copper bioleaching due to their ability to oxidize both ferrous iron and sulfur compounds, which promotes the dissolution of copper from its ores.