The efficiency of bioleaching is dependant on the establishment of an active microbial community. There is debate as to whether an indigenous microbial community is superior to one composed of microbial strains selected for specific physiological traits. The bioleaching efficiency of three microbial communities was studied: the indigenous community of a commercial bioleaching system (KCCL), a reconstituted consortium of the four major organisms which comprise KCCL that had been 'un-adapted' through a period of continuous maintenance in synthetic media (KCCR) and a specifically designed consortium of bioleaching organisms (KCCD). Acidithiobacillus caldus was unable to re-establish itself in the reconstituted, un-adapted consortium. However, the bioleaching rate of this consortium improved over time, and its overall performance was very similar to that of the indigenous community. This was despite the absence of an obligate sulfur-oxidising species, which resulted in the generation of substantially less acid. The performance of the designed consortium was poor, and the results implied that bioleaching consortia (mesophiles or moderate thermophiles) cannot be assembled 'off-the-shelf, at least not without a substantial period of adaptation. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.