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Acid leaching and dissolution of major sulphide ore minerals: processes and galvanic effects in complex systems

P. K. Abraitis^1,, R. A. D. Pattrick¹, G. H. Kelsall² and D. J. Vaughan^1,*

¹ Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, and Earth Sciences Department, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
² Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK

View larger version (27K): [in a new window]   FIG. 1. Time dependence of redox potential values in pH 2.5±0.1 pH-stat experiments at 25±2°C with sulphide mineral powders in air-saturated water.

View larger version (25K): [in a new window]   FIG. 2. Potential-pH diagram for S-H2O system 298 K (ST = 10–4 M). Symbols indicate measured redox potential values in pH-stat single-sulphide mineral dissolution tests at 25°C, pH 2.5.

View larger version (13K): [in a new window]   FIG. 3. Time dependences of dissolved Fe and S in a pH 2.5 (stat) experiment with powdered pyrite at 25°C.

View larger version (29K): [in a new window]   FIG. 4. Pyrite XPS: (a) Fe 2p, (b) S 2p,(c) O 1s; in each case, the bottom spectrum is for the fresh sample, middle for the air-ground sample and top the leached product.

View larger version (16K): [in a new window]   FIG. 5. Time dependence of dissolved Zn(II) and S concentrations in a pH 2.5 (stat) leaching experiment with powdered sphalerite at 25°C.

View larger version (15K): [in a new window]   FIG. 6. Time dependence of dissolved Pb(II) and S concentrations in a pH 2.5 (stat) leaching experiment with powdered galena at 25°C.

View larger version (18K): [in a new window]   FIG. 7. Concentrations of Fe, Cu and S as a function of time in a pH 2.5 (stat) experiment with powdered chalcopyrite at 25°C.

View larger version (23K): [in a new window]   FIG. 8. S(2p) XPS spectra from; (a) a freshly cleaved surface of chalcopyrite (cleaved and transferred under nitrogen); (b) chalcopyrite powder prepared by dry grinding in air; and (c) powdered chalcopyrite following reaction with a pH 2.5 solution.

View larger version (18K): [in a new window]   FIG. 9. Dissolution rates (mol m–2 s–1) for single and two-phase systems.