An XPS study of gold deposition at low temperatures on sulfide minerals: Reducing agents

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(89)90388-8· OSTI ID:5195537

Hyland, M M; Bancroft, G M ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Western Ontario, London (Canada)

The reduction of KAuCl{sub 4} to metallic gold by pyrite, high iron content sphalerite and galena was studied using surface analytical and solution techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (A.A.). High resolution XPS of the reacted mineral showed that the mineral surface is the Au reducing agent. On galena and high iron sphalerite, a corroded layer forms rapidly as S{sup 2 minus} is oxidized to polysulfides, S{sup 2{minus}}{sub x}, and the metals are leached from the surface. Although Au is also reduced on pyrite, the formation of surface polysulfide is not concurrent with Au reduction. Solution analysis for the pyrite and high iron sphalerite reactions shows, however, that considerable sulfate is produced due to the oxidation of S{sup 2{minus}}, S{sup 2{minus}}{sub 2} or the intermediate polysulphide.

• OSTI ID: 5195537
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA) Vol. 53:2; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
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58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
GALENA
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GOLD
GOLD ORES
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD SULFIDES
METALS
MINERALIZATION
MINERALS
ORES
OXIDATION
PETROGENESIS
PYRITE
REDOX REACTIONS
REDUCING AGENTS
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
SPHALERITE
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY