In　Zijinshan,　a　commercial　copper　bio-heap　leaching　plant　has　been　operating　successfully　since　2006.　The　plant　used　raffinate　as　irrigation　solution　and　operated　at　low　pH　and　high　iron　concentration　from　2006　to　2010.　However,　high　concentration　of　soluble　iron　led　to　crud　formation　and　low　current　efficiency　in　subsequent　solvent　extraction　and　electro-winning　(SX-EW)　steps.　It　is　important　to　reduce　iron　dissolution　in　bioleaching　and　address　this　low　current　efficiency　issue.　About　1500　m3/h　acid　mine　drainage　(AMD)　accumulated　in　collection　pool　in　the　Zijinshan　copper　mine.　Not　only　does　it　cause　the　loss　of　copper,　but　also　result　in　potentially　secondary　pollution.　This　paper　proposes　an　option　to　use　AMD　as　leaching　solution　for　the　recovery　of　copper.　Column　bioleaching　experiments　were　performed　with　low-grade　secondary　copper　sulfide　ore　from　Zijinshan.　To　simulate　leaching,　several　variables　such　as　irrigation　solution,　leachate　treatment　(with　or　without　recirculation),　irrigation　duration,　temperature　and　pH　were　considered　for　the　evaluation　of　the　copper　recovery　and　iron　extraction.　Results　showed　that　6-8　h/d　irrigation　was　needed　to　ensure　the　wetting　of　the　ore　surface,　to　keep　sufficiently　high　temperature　and　aeration　inside　the　column.　Under　optimal　pH　condition　of　1.6-1.8,　with　recirculation　of　AMD,　copper　leaching　reached　90%,　however　iron　leaching　was　only　20%　both　after　240　days,　respectively.　About　78-86%　of　copper　extraction　was　observed　in　the　first　100　days　and　then　slight　increase　of　about　4-12%　towards　the　end,　whereas　iron　extraction　continued　with　an　upward　trend　after　100　days.　The　results　showed　that　AMD　could　be　utilized　for　selective　and　efficient　copper　recovery　in　Zijinshan　copper　mine.　©　2016　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.