Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 322, Issue 1-3, Pages 271-282Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2003.09.024
Keywords
arsenic concentrate; oxidation; arsenopyrite; lollingite; arsenic secondary minerals
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Ore concentrate with up to 65 wt.% of arsenic (by-product of cassiterite extraction) exposed to climatic conditions was studied from the mineralogical point of view. Detailed sampling, X-ray diffraction analyses, energy-dispersive microanalysis (EDAX) and especially scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied to study the arsenopyrite-lollingite-concentrate weathering. The studied concentrate contains very small proportion (<5 vol.%) of gangue minerals such as quartz and feldspars; the oxidation of arsenopyrite and lollingite (and accessory pyrite) is thus practically not complicated by interference with additional minerals and elements. Arsenolite, scorodite, kaatialaite and native sulphur were found to be the main secondary phases originating by dissolution of arsenopyrite and lollingite. New secondary phases precipitate on the surface of the ore-concentrate body but also form cement among the grains of finely milled material. The following succession of secondary minerals was determined: arsenolite, scorodite+native sulphur and kaatialaite. Significant arsenic migration into the proximal environment was revealed: 2580 and 13 622 mg kg(-1) were the highest arsenic concentrations in two sections excavated at distances of 0.5 and 1.5 m from the concentrate body. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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