Gas Transfer of Metals during the Destruction of Efflorescent Sulfates from the Belovo Plant Sulfide Slag, Russia

This paper demonstrates the results of experiments for the determination of the composition of gases during the dehydration of sulfates (Na-jarosite, melanterite, and chalcanthite) collected at the surface of pyrometallurgical waste heaps. The volatilization of various elements, and vapor-gas phase transport from three sulfate groups were investigated by stepwise laboratory heating at 45, 55, and 65 degrees C. The sample of yellow efflorescence mainly consisted of Na-jarosite, the white efflorescence contained melanterite as the major mineral, and the blue efflorescence sample consisted of chalcanthite. These all contained a few impurities up to 5 %. The highest total dissolved solids (TDS) was found in the gas condensates from melanterite (59 mg/L), followed by chalcanthite (29 mg/L) and Na-jarosite (17 mg/L). It was determined that major and trace elements in the condensate can be trapped by water vapor and can migrate with the vapor phase during the desorption and dehydration of hydrous sulfates. X-ray diffractograms showed that Na-jarosite remained stable throughout the temperature range, whilst the separation of melanterite's structural water occurred at 40 degrees C, and chalcanthite completely lost two water molecules at 50 degrees C. The gas condensates contained acetates and formates, which could be the fermentation products of bacterial communities. Some of the strains-Micrococcaceae sp., Bacillus sp., and Microbacteriaceae sp.-were cultivated.