The solubility of sphalerite and galena in 1-5 m NaCl solutions to 300 degree C

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(88)90353-5· OSTI ID:5327375

Barrett, T J ^[1]; Anderson, G M ^[2]

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1. McGill Univ., Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
2. Univ. of Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

Sphalerite and galena solubilities have been experimentally determined under H{sub 2}S-saturated conditions over the 3-5 molal (=m) NaCl range and for temperatures up to 95{degree}C. Using recent literature values for the stability constants of the chloride complexes of Zn and Pb up to 300{degree}C, the authors have calculated ZnS and PbS solubilities over the 25-300{degree}C and 1-5 m NaCl range. Field data from various geothermal systems have been used to calculate equilibrium solubilities of sphalerite and galena in these systems. High-salinity brines appear to range from supersaturated (Salton Sea, high-temperature) to strongly supersaturated (Red Sea, low temperature) with respect to these sulfides. By contrast, high-temperature seawater-salinity solutions at sediment-free spreading axes are grossly undersaturated in sphalerite and galena. The latter situation is of interest in that massive sulfide deposits are nevertheless forming from such solutions. On the other hand, vent fluids depositing sulfides at the sediment-covered axis in the Guaymas Basin appear to be near saturation in sphalerite and galena. This is probably related to the higher pH of these fluids, and the higher metal contents of the underlying sediments relative to basalts. Calculated solubilities for on-land geothermal systems yield values in reasonable agreement (<0.2 log units) in two of three cases.

• OSTI ID: 5327375
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Vol. 52:4; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
58 GEOSCIENCES
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
BRINES
SOLVENT PROPERTIES
GALENA
ACTIVATION ENERGY
SOLUBILITY
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
SPHALERITE
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EQUILIBRIUM
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
SODIUM CHLORIDES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ENERGY
FLUIDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD SULFIDES
MINERALS
REACTION KINETICS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
152003* - Geothermal Data &amp; Theory- Rock-Water-Gas Interactions
580000 - Geosciences
400201 - Chemical &amp; Physicochemical Properties